


Another Bad Mission

by BlackHunter666



Category: Hogan's Heroes, Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Time warp, Twisted History
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 07:35:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 128,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3241514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who would have thought such a thing was possible? An aerial battle over Germany led our two conflicting pilots into a rift they had no idea about. Now they have to try and survive in the heart of Nazi Germany</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reality Crash

Groaning softly, Emily lifted her head and looked around quickly, assessing her situation and trying to work out the best way to go. She found herself in quite a sticky situation though and wasn't quite sure where to go next. Drawing her knife from the back of her shirt, she reached up and cut herself free of her parachute, dropping the last few meters to the ground and landing lightly. Straightening up, she unhooked her kit bag from her harness and followed the rope to stand over it as she wriggled out of her harness and shoved it into the bag. Hearing a rustling in the bushes nearby, she went for her shotgun, sliding it quietly from the holster on her back and lining up on the rustling bushes.

Emerging from the bushes, a tall, lanky man froze when he saw the weapon aimed his way and raised his hands slowly. Lowering the weapon warily, Emily gazed at him curiously, taking in his black clothes and the muck spread over his face.  
'Who are you?' she hissed, holstering her shotgun and resting her hands on the pistols on her hips.  
'The name's Newkirk. I'm 'ere to 'elp you.'  
'Help? In my line of work, people rarely offer to help without a price.'  
'We saw your chute from the camp. Colonel 'ogan sent me to find you. Come on, we 'ave to get moving before the krauts come looking.'  
'Krauts? Wait a bloody minute. What year is this?'  
'It's 1943, what were you expecting?'  
'This is nuts, just fuckin' nuts. Get shot down by the Black Knight and wind up back in the middle of the Second World War.' Emily muttered, scooping up her bag and slinging it over her shoulders. 'Alright Newkirk, which way back to camp and how far away?'  
'Back this way, it's about a mile.' Newkirk replied, turning and disappearing back into the bushes, Emily following him moments later, still trying to work out how she'd managed to get so lost.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Picking their way through the forest carefully but still quickly, Emily didn't have too much trouble keeping up with Newkirk, her years of training made it fairly easy to keep him in sight. Then she heard him go down, landing heavily on the ground just in front of her. What was more concerning though, was the sharp snap that echoed through the still forest. Without thinking, Emily bounded forward and clamped her hand over Newkirk's mouth before gently rolling him over. Dropping her pack, she reached in and fished out an emergency lantern, clicking it on and putting it beside them.  
'Steady Newkirk, steady. I know it hurts, but I can take care of this.' she whispered, guiding him in against her bent leg and supporting him there.  
'Blimey that 'urts.' he uttered, face ashen as he cradled his right arm to his chest gently.  
'Looks like you broke it. Will you let me help you?' Emily asked, reaching into her pack again.  
'Just make it stop.'  
'I'll do my best. Here, bite on this for me while I work. You have to stay awake; I don't know where I'm going.' Emily nodded, fishing out the well worn leather gag and holding it out.  
'Blimey, talk about poor conditions.' Newkirk muttered, accepting the gag and grinding his teeth into it as Emily eased him down and went fossicking through her pack again.

Pulling out a collection of things and setting them in the circle of light cast from the lantern, Emily thought for a moment before gently working Newkirk's jacket off, apologising softly every time she jostled his arm. She could see the question in his eyes about her actions and briefly considered her answer before speaking.  
'I'm thinking on my feet here Newkirk; I'm not used to working in such primitive conditions. We can use your shirt for a sling; I don't have anything better on me for the job. I'll take care of you, I promise.' she soothed, touching his cheek lightly before gently placing her hands on either side of the break. Pulling gently, she guided the broken bones back into alignment and trailed her right hand over the area slowly, feeling the alignment and hoping it was right. Resting his arm against his chest again, Emily guided his good hand over the break and coaxed him to hold it still before she stood and disappeared into the darkness again.

Returning minutes later, she put four stout sticks down beside her and drew her knife from her shirt, quickly whittling away any sharp points on the branches and smoothing them out so they'd be comfortable. Picking up the medkit she'd pulled from her pack, she opened it and fished out a wide bandage, wrapping it firmly around his broken arm and smoothing it out before checking his pulse was still steady at the wrist.  
'Keep breathing Newkirk, I'll take care of you. You're in safe hands, I know what I'm doing.' she grinned, spacing the sticks out around his arm and binding them firmly into place and checking his pulse again. Reaching into a second medical case, she pulled out a syringe and a small vial, drawing up a best guess dose. She went a little on the low side, just in case she was wrong about this. Shuffling closer, she touched his hair and smiled, distracting him with a gentle touch as she jabbed him in his good arm and got the drugs into his system. Putting the syringe back in the case, she helped Newkirk back into his shirt and buttoned it up, securing his arm against his chest so tenderly. Flicking out his jacket, she draped it around his shoulders and picked up his hat from where it had fallen, dusting it off and setting it back in place.

Packing up her gear, she caught the gag and wiped it off on the sleeve of his jacket before putting it away, totally professional as she worked. She knew that by staying calm, she'd help keep him calm, a bonus when it came to serious injuries.  
'What was that injection?' he asked, eyes a little unfocused.  
'Just a little painkiller, nothing to worry about. How do you feel now Newkirk?' Emily shrugged, double checking she'd collected everything before clicking off the lamp and putting it away.  
'Bloody miserable.' he replied, watching Emily secure her pack and swing it over her shoulders before she helped him up again.  
'Which way to camp?' Emily asked, trying to distract him and hopefully reach a safe place where she could do a proper job on his arm.  
'This way, we're about a 'alf mile from camp.'  
'Whoa, steady Newkirk.' Emily warned, lunging to catch him when he swayed. 'I might have overdone the drugs a bit, had to guess the dose. Just lean on me, we'll get back to camp.' Emily soothed, tucking him close and heading through the undergrowth.  
'You're not like any other men we've 'elped out of Germany.' Newkirk mused, good arm draped around Emily's shoulders.  
'I'm not surprised; you probably don't get many women through these parts.'  
'We've 'ad a few. But you're right, not many. Not what I meant though. You're more than just a pilot, right?'  
'You've got me there Newkirk. It's not safe to talk out here though; we have to get to safety.'  
'Right, this way.' Newkirk nodded, guiding Emily through the undergrowth to the nearest entrance.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Getting a shock when Newkirk knelt in the bushes and lifted a trapdoor, Emily chuckled softly and climbed into the tunnel, reaching up to give Newkirk a helping hand down before scurrying up and shutting the hatch again. Climbing back down, she sidled up beside Newkirk and grabbed him around the waist, holding him upright as they made their way along the tunnel.  
'I just 'ope LeBeau 'ad better luck with 'is job.' Newkirk uttered, good hand fisted in Emily's jacket.  
'Come on Newkirk, you're rambling again. We need to get you on a bunk somewhere.' Emily replied, looking around for anywhere she could ease Newkirk down to rest.  
'There were others we 'ad to find and bring back. LeBeau got sent after them with Carter.'  
'Oh, now I get it. Where's this tunnel lead?'  
'Right back to our barracks. We'll be met down 'ere by one of the boys.' Newkirk offered, stumbling and groaning when he jostled his arm. 'Still don't know 'ow I'm supposed to explain this.'  
'Leave it to me Newkirk, everything will work out.'  
'Blimey, I can't go on roll call tomorrow morning with this. Klink will spot me out for sure.'  
'We'll work something out Newkirk, stop worrying.'

Coming out into a larger chamber, Emily found a bench and eased Newkirk down, guiding him back and checking his vitals quickly even as she heard someone moving behind them.  
'Newkirk, what happened?' another voice asked, startling Emily quite badly. Whirling around, she drew one of her pistols and took aim up at the black man behind her even as she moved to protect Newkirk.  
'It's alright Emily, 'e's me mate. Kinch, meet Emily 'unter, she's the one snagged in the chute we spotted to the east.' Newkirk explained, left hand resting on Emily's shoulder.  
'I'll get the Colonel.' Kinch nodded, turning and walking away from them as Emily holstered her sidearm.  
'Guess I'm still a little jumpy.' Emily uttered, turning back to Newkirk and helping him sit up.  
'Come up with any ideas about 'ow I'm supposed to go on parade tomorrow?'  
'I think I have Newkirk. It's a crazy assed idea but I reckon I can pull it off. Just keep talking, I'll take care of it.'  
'You're a strange one, you know that.' Newkirk remarked, rolling his eyes at Emily but he went right on talking about whatever came to mind. He didn't know why Emily had asked such a strange thing but what the heck, he might as well. Listening intently, Emily committed every little detail to memory, improving her repertoire of cockney English in preparation for what she was going to suggest.

By the time Colonel Hogan made his appearance in the tunnel, Emily was feeling pretty confident she'd be able to pull this off but first she needed his go ahead to try it on for size.  
'Newkirk, what happened to you?' Hogan asked, ignoring Emily as he moved to check his man.  
'Tripped over something in the dark Gov'nor. Broke me arm but 'unter 'ere patched me up. I'll be alright, just need some time.'  
'Roll call is in three hours, how are we going to explain this away?'  
'Reckon I've got a plan Gov'nor.' Emily offered, stunning both men with her near perfect Newkirk impersonation. 'You need a certain number of bodies in particular uniforms, right?'  
'That's right Hunter.' Hogan nodded, eyeing Emily suspiciously.  
'Well, I've 'ad some time to think about it and I know I can pass as Newkirk for as long as needed.'  
'You can't ruddy be serious Emily.' Newkirk gaped, realising now why Emily had been so interested in hearing him talk.  
'Got a better ruddy plan?'  
'We can give it a go. Kinch, go get Carter. We'll need his help.'  
'You got it Colonel.'  
'Emily, think about this. If the krauts find out, they'll come looking for me, the real me.'  
'Then we'd best be sure no one finds out. 'Ave a little faith Newkirk. I can 'andle this.'  
'Newkirk, where's your uniform?'  
'You can't be serious Gov'nor. It'll never work.'  
'It's worth a shot. If Emily can't fool LeBeau for a moment, then we'll know the plan is a bust. Fooling Klink and Schultz is easier.'  
'I've taken pretty good care of you so far, right?' Emily asked, switching seamlessly back to her American accent.  
'Can't deny that Emily.' Newkirk nodded, getting to his feet. 'I left it back here.' he added, leading her away.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Straightening the borrowed cap, Emily glanced at Newkirk and grinned, watching him try and pick his jaw up from where it had fallen. She knew the look was good, Carter had done a near perfect job on her hair, cutting the dark strands to match and shaping it to be as close to Newkirk's as was humanly possible. A little black from Emily's kit was all that was needed to complete the look, turning her luxurious dark brown locks into his filthy black quickly.  
'Well, 'ow's that for a change?' she asked, replicating not only his speech but his body language as well.  
'Fool me own mother you could.' Newkirk grinned, taking her in as she turned slowly. 'But, uh, your package seems to have shifted.'  
'My…blimey, could 'ave been embarrassing.' Emily replied, deftly repositioning her underwear packing.  
'This should fool Schultz.' Carter added, admiring Emily's look and nodding. 'Newkirk, just turn around will ya?'  
'What now Carter?' Newkirk asked, moving back to Emily's side and turning.  
'Hold still Emily, missed a bit.'  
'You can't expect perfection first time.' Emily grinned, totally calm as Carter made the few final adjustments to her hair.  
'There we go, all fixed.'

Turning as one when Colonel Hogan returned, neither of them said anything and kept their eyes on the ground, wanting to see if Hogan could pick the difference before they gave away the one clear hint about the deception.  
'Good job Carter, they looked identical.'  
'Care to guess which is the real Newkirk?' Carter asked, glancing at the pair.  
'That's easy for me Carter, the real Newkirk's got a busted arm. LeBeau doesn't know that though, he'll be the real test.' Hogan grinned, admiring the pair carefully as he circled them. 'You do good work Hunter, I'll give you that.'  
'Thank you Gov'nor.' Emily replied, lifting her gaze and winking.  
'So the trick is not to look at anyone. Still, Schultz isn't that smart, you'll fool him easily and Klink won't go looking for trouble if you don't start anything Hunter.'  
'Me Gov'nor? Now why would I do something like that?' Emily asked, glancing at Newkirk and grinning. 'Well, no more trouble than Newkirk gets into naturally.'  
'Hey, that's not fair 'unter. I'm no trouble maker.'  
'Pickpocket, card shark, forger and I don't know what else.' Emily teased, rolling her eyes quickly. 'Now just stand still will ya.'  
'What's the problem now?' Newkirk asked, jumping when Emily's fingers slipped past his collar. 'Oi! Not me bleedin' tags 'unter.'  
'Should I just go about looking like you with me own bleedin' name around me throat then?'  
'Didn't think of that.' Newkirk nodded, ducking his head so Emily could swipe his tags. 'Just feels strange not to 'ave them.'  
''ere, wear mine instead.' Emily replied, tucking Newkirk's tags into her shirt and lifting out her own set.  
'Pierre? Where are you Pierre?'  
'Oh blimey, 'ere we go. That's LeBeau.' Newkirk warned, accepting Emily's tags and stuffing them out of sight quickly.  
'Pierre? You never mentioned you were part bleeding French.' Emily hissed, caught off guard.  
'I'm not, 'e is. I'm Peter Newkirk, Louis turned it into Pierre.' Newkirk replied, disappearing out of sight as Emily relaxed.  
''ere goes nothing then.' Emily whispered, taking a seat on a nearby crate and picking up the latest sewing project she could see.  
'There you are Pierre. I was worried you hadn't made it back yet.'  
'Sorry little mate, I wasn't thinking. 'Ow'd it go out there for you?' Emily replied, putting her sewing aside.  
'Two men. Mon Colonel wanted to speak with them in his office. And you?'  
'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.'  
'Go on, tell me mon ami.'  
'I found a woman where we saw the other chute.'  
'A woman? Where is she now?'  
'You'd 'ave to ask the Gov'nor about her. Left 'er with 'im and came back down 'ere for a bit.'  
'She wasn't in the Colonel's office when I left the other two there.'

Wandering back down the corridor, the other two rescued men trailing along behind him, Hogan grinned faintly as he watched Emily masterfully have a conversation with LeBeau, never once giving away the secret she was protecting.  
'Carter, take these two to the emergency barracks. I need to talk with LeBeau and Newkirk for a moment.'  
'Sure thing Colonel. This way guys.' Carter nodded, getting up and leading the pair further along the tunnel.  
'Oww. Fucking low tunnels.' the taller one groused, rubbing his forehead when he head butted another beam.  
'Try crawling Rufus, you'll hurt yourself less.' the other man suggested, totally oblivious to the trick behind them.

Once they were out of sight, Emily let out the breath she didn't realise she'd been holding and relaxed her hands, trying not to panic as the realisation of who she was sharing this camp with sank in.  
'Are you alright Pierre? You look pale.'  
'I'm alright Louis, just thinking about earlier.' Emily lied, not realising her mistake.  
'Sacre bleu. It's a miracle. That's the first time you've pronounced my name correctly.' LeBeau praised, eyes blowing wide.  
'I…fuck. Newkirk, get out here. I blew it.' Emily called, removing her borrowed cap and hanging her head.  
'What'd you do Emily?' Newkirk asked, emerging from the shadows and gulping when he saw LeBeau was still there. 'I can explain little mate. This is Emily 'unter, the woman I found under the east chute. 'Eading back to camp, I tripped and broke me arm. Emily's agreed to take me place while this 'eals up.' he offered, really hoping he hadn't screwed up his friendship with the little Frenchman.  
'We had to know if the disguise would work and Colonel Hogan suggested you since you're one of Newkirk's closest friends. Kinch saw us coming in and Carter cut my hair to length.' Emily added, looking up at Newkirk sadly.  
'The likeness is good, I really believed I was talking to Pierre. But a woman is much better.'  
'Take your hand off my knee unless you intend to lose it LeBeau.' Emily warned, careful to keep her temper in check but she was obviously unhappy.  
'What's the matter Emily? You can talk to me, you know that.' Newkirk coaxed, crouching beside her.  
'I know them, we're rivals. They're the reason you found me near that bleeding parachute.' Emily sighed, slumping forward and hanging her head. 'It's those two that shot me out of the sky.'  
'But you're all Americans, non?'  
'oui, but…this is going to sound so weird but I swear it's the truth.' Emily shrugged, lifting her gaze slowly. 'I don't know how it happened but I've gone back in time.'  
'Pull the other one Emily.'  
'I'm not kidding Peter. Here, I'll show you.' Emily replied, holding out her hand. Realising what she wanted, Newkirk fished out her tags and handed them over. 'Colonel Hogan, read them out.' she added, offering out her tags.  
'Emily B. Hunter, 4th October 1979.' he read, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.  
'So that's why you asked for the year?'  
'Now you're getting it Newkirk. Those two are my rivals, we're constantly trying to kill each other but I'm proving to be more than they can handle. This makes nine times they've shot me down.'  
'So what happens now Emily?'  
'I don't know Louis. I guess I stick around and make the best of this that I can. One thing's for sure, I'm kinda grateful for Newkirk's accident.' Emily offered, patting Newkirk's arm when he threatened to get a little upset. 'Not that you got hurt, that's always bad. But by pretending to be you, I don't have to worry about those two getting wise. I reckon I've got eight weeks of this gag before I've got to start thinking of a new way to hide from them.'  
'Eight weeks. Blimey, can you keep it up that long Emily?'  
'I don't have much choice Peter. It could be longer, depending on 'ow you 'eal up. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do when you're fit to get back up top.' Emily frowned, tucking her tags back down Peter's shirt safely.  
'We'll get them on their way to London tomorrow Emily. That'll keep them from finding you out.'  
'No Colonel, that's not going to work. The London of now is nothing like the London I know. The safest thing we can do is keep them here, I've played hide-and-seek from them before. They'll never know I'm here, so long as I can keep them distracted. The Newkirk cover will keep me safe for a while, after that we'll need another person for me to mimic and pass right under their noses.'  
'Look, bed check will be in fifteen minutes. We'll discuss this further after Schultz has come and gone.' Hogan suggested, checking his watch quickly. 'Newkirk, stay close to the emergency entrance.'  
'Got it Gov'nor. I've got sleepwear under me pillow Emily.'  
'If you think I'm getting changed in front of everyone, keep dreaming.'  
'You'll get spotted out the moment you don't follow the routine Newkirk does Emily.' Hogan warned, grateful for Emily's assistance in getting Newkirk back and feeling somewhat protective of her. 'No one's going to notice tonight, they know Newkirk went out. But tomorrow, start learning the routine, you've got a lot of work ahead.'  
'Got it Gov'nor.' Emily nodded, getting to her feet again and smiling. 'We 'ave a lot of work ahead of us.'  
'Won't take long Emily. Just one question, do you smoke?' Newkirk grinned, picking up his pack from where he'd left it earlier and offering it out.  
'Whenever I've got the chance, I don't mind the odd smoke.' Emily nodded, accepting the packet and tapping two out, offering one back to Newkirk. 'Can't remember the last time I actually used matches though.' she chuckled, finding the matchbook in her pocket and lighting up both cigarettes.  
'You seem to know what you're doing though Emily.'  
'It's been a while, didn't say I couldn't remember how.' Emily countered, gaze falling on her pack. 'Gonna need a place to stash that where it's not going to be found. Along with the gear I was wearing when I came in.' she added, heading back to gather up the kit she'd been wearing upon her arrival.  
'There's an alcove off the radio room you can use Emily. I'll keep an eye on your gear.' Kinch offered, appearing beside Hogan.  
'Straight up to bed Carter. We'll deal with this tomorrow.' Hogan ordered, spotting Carter heading back up the tunnel.  
'Yes Colonel.' he replied, slipping past the group and heading for the ladder.  
'Thanks Kinch. Just make sure no one touches this stuff, I've got some dangerous toys.' Emily warned, hoisting her pack and carrying the heavy load up to the alcove Kinch had picked.  
'I'll keep it safe Emily, don't worry.' Newkirk promised, knowing Kinch would have to go up for bed check as well.  
'I've got to check that splint tomorrow Peter. Just take it easy tonight, those meds won't last forever.'  
'I'll be okay Emily, don't worry. If I need anything, I'll alert someone up top.' Newkirk replied, touching her cheek lightly. 'Now go, I'll see you tomorrow.'  
'That you will mate.' Emily nodded, darting up the ladder and looking around for a moment. 'Uhh.'  
'That's your bunk, above Carter.' LeBeau whispered, nudging Emily lightly as he headed for his own bunk.  
'Right, I can do this.' Emily nodded, removing her boots and clambering into bed, pulling the thin blanket over so no one would get suspicious. Although she'd originally planned to spend the night evaluating her situation, she was asleep in moments on the uncomfortable bunk.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Snapping awake when she heard the door open, Emily joined in the chorus of groans as she jumped down from her bunk and pulled her boots on, lacing them up quickly before slipping her hat on and filing out the door with everyone else. Reading the signals Hogan was giving, she slotted into place beside him and huddled into her borrowed jacket, acting like everyone else and hoping she was pulling off her hasty Newkirk. She was careful to keep her eyes down turned, fairly sure that any flash of brown where there should have been green would give her away. Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't paying attention to the Germans walking around, she was keeping half her attention on them and getting a read on them as well.

Heading back inside with the dismissed call, she waited a moment longer before straightening and looking around, quite pleased with her actions. Nudging her gently, LeBeau handed her a fresh cup of coffee and sat, his smile widening as Emily sank down beside him.  
'So, 'ow'd I go?' she asked, sipping her coffee and lighting a cigarette.  
'It was perfect. You had everyone fooled.' LeBeau grinned, looking around at the grins and nods from their companions.  
'Emily, package.' Kinch uttered, looking down quickly.  
'I have got to find a way to secure that damn thing.' Emily groused, adjusting her underwear and forcing her fake crotch back into place.  
'For a hasty job, you pulled it off just fine Emily.' Hogan praised, walking over and signalling for the hatch to be opened. 'But you've got bigger problems to attend to.'  
'There's always something Gov'nor.' Emily replied, getting up and scrambling into the tunnel.

Opening her kit and digging out a bundle of gear, she made her way down the tunnel to where Peter was resting, draped with a thin blanket and busted arm protected against his chest. Unpacking her gear and setting it on the floor, she touched his cheek lightly and smiled as he stirred from what must have been a rough night.  
''ow'd it go?' he asked, eyes unfocused and he was slurring a little.  
'We got away with it this time. Come on now, time to wake up a bit more.' Emily replied, hauling Newkirk around and propping him up in the corner. 'How're you feeling?'  
'It's 'urting pretty bad. Didn't sleep much last night.'  
'I'm not surprised. Just relax, I'll take care of you.' Emily soothed, grabbing one of her bandanas and wiping the sweat from his face.  
'I know you will.' Newkirk replied, leaning into her touch gently. 'Blimey it 'urts.'  
'Want the gag back?' Emily offered, holding out the same black leather he'd abused the night before.  
'Better that then bring the krauts running.' Newkirk sighed, accepting the leather and trying to relax as Emily gently unwrapped his arm, setting the splints safely on his lap.

Supporting the break so tenderly, Emily checked the alignment of the bones quickly, doing her absolute best to avoid causing him any excess discomfort. Her efforts weren't having much effect though, Newkirk was in serious pain, tears falling silently. Drawing up another dose of painkillers, Emily sat up and plunged them into his shoulder. Sitting back, she wiped his face and kept gently supporting his arm as the medication worked through his system. Shifting her hands again, she reached out and gathered up a soft padding material she'd pilfered from her own jacket. Wrapping it around his arm, Emily wrapped the first bandage around his arm to keep the padding in position before replacing the splints and securing them into place.  
'I'm done Peter, its okay. Shhh, you're okay now.' she soothed, waiting for him to release his bite. Once he relaxed his jaw, Emily plucked the gag out and wiped it on her own sleeve before putting it away and packing up her medkit. Tucking it under the bench, she sat beside Newkirk and drew him close, letting him rest on her shoulder. Gasping quietly, Newkirk sagged against Emily and tried to relax despite his nausea and pounding head.  
'Everything okay down here?' Hogan asked, climbing down to check on Newkirk personally.  
'I've done the best I can with what I've got Colonel.' Emily offered, reaching around to check Peter's pulse below the dressing.  
'I can send LeBeau to get Wilson, he's a trained medic from America.'  
'Not necessary Colonel, he won't be able to do much more than I have. This binding will hold, the only thing better would be a full cast but that's not a good idea until the swelling goes down.'  
'Alright Emily, if that's what you suggest.' Hogan nodded, watching Newkirk as he tried to get comfortable again. 'Now that you've had a bit more time, what can you tell me about the injury?'  
'It's about what I expected last night. Double break, no exterior injuries, serious swelling and intense pain. Eight weeks out of action at minimum but that could stretch out to twelve weeks or beyond. There's just no way to be certain.' Emily offered, trying to hide her true worries for the moment. 'Reckon you can eat anything Peter?'  
'Don't think so Emily.' Newkirk replied, absolutely exhausted after his ordeal. 'Feeling nauseous.'  
'I hate to push but you really should try and get something down. It'll help you feel better.' Emily tried, reaching for her medkit again and popping it open. 'Please Peter, for me?' she coaxed, finding what she wanted and jabbing Newkirk again.  
'I'll see what LeBeau can whip up.' Hogan offered, disappearing back up the stairs. 'And I'll do what I can about some tea as well.'  
'Thanks Colonel.' Emily nodded, running her hand through Newkirk's hair lightly. 'I'm sorry Peter.'  
'What for? You're trying to 'elp Emily.' he asked, lifting his head from her shoulder slowly.  
''ad I not decided to take flight last night, back in my 'ome so far away, none of this would have 'appened. I wouldn't 'ave been stuck in that tree. You wouldn't 'ave 'ad come out to find me in the forest. You wouldn't 'ave fallen and broken your arm.' Emily sighed, looking away sadly as the guilt heaped on her shoulders.  
'But 'ad you not appeared 'ere, I wouldn't 'ave met you. I've been 'ere two years, I 'aven't been 'appy since. But since you arrived, I've been 'appier. This was an accident, poor nutrition and all that. I wouldn't change anything for the world.' Newkirk replied, offering Emily a tired smile.  
'Sweet talker. I still feel guilty but I guess you're right.' Emily grinned, lighting up and offering a cigarette to Newkirk. 'I might just get to like it around 'ere. Especially if I've got guys like you for company.' she added, looking around for a moment before leaning forward and drawing something from behind her back.

Staring in wonder at the massive knife Emily was innocently flipping in her hand, Newkirk wasn't sure quite what to make of what he was seeing.  
'Where the 'ell did you get that?' he asked, watching the blade flash in circles.  
'This old thing? I've had this for a few years. It's called an Armageddon.' Emily chuckled, catching the knife again and offering it out.  
'Not 'ard to see where it got that name. Cor, talk about a weight.' Newkirk grinned, admiring the length and weight of such a blade.  
'I don't even notice it anymore. That's why I have the back mount harness for it, makes it easy to carry and keeps anyone from noticing it strapped into position.' Emily replied, accepting her knife back and slotting it back into its scabbard. 'Like I said, flawless carry.' she smirked, turning and purposefully stretching out her borrowed jacket out to show just how perfect her harness design was.  
'That's amazing. I can't see a bloody thing.' Newkirk grinned, sitting up and running his hand over her back.  
'I'm a woman of many secrets Peter, as you'll learn.' Emily chuckled, turning around and getting comfortable again, Newkirk resting against her side.

Grinning when LeBeau made his appearance in the tunnel, Emily eased Newkirk off her shoulder and grinned as he shuffled up to sit properly as the Frenchman approached.  
'Feeling any better Pierre?' he asked, balancing a small tray on one hand as he walked over.  
'A little, still 'urts badly.' Newkirk replied, confidence slowly returning as he accepted the freshly brewed tea LeBeau was holding for him. 'Just what I needed.'  
'This smells great LeBeau.' Emily praised, accepting her tea and soup and getting comfortable on the floor.  
'Hustle. Roll call.' Kinch hissed, appearing at the tunnel mouth.  
'Won't be long.' Emily nodded, slipping on her hat and scrambling up the ladder.  
'I'll wait for you.' Newkirk replied, sipping his tea and waiting patiently for Emily's return. There was something special about sharing a meal with the only female prisoner in camp, even if she was a bit rough around the edges.

Settling back against the wall, Newkirk couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he thought about Emily and all her behaviours. On one hand she was obviously quite violent, judging by the knife he'd seen today and the shotgun from the night before, not to mention the pistols she'd been carrying as well. But she had also shown a great ability for compassion and tenderness, shown by the way she'd so gently tended his broken arm and kept him calm. She was obviously sneaky, her faultless impersonations leaving no one in any doubt of her abilities. Such a study in contrasts, so many sides of a very complex personality and Newkirk knew he wanted to know more about this mysterious woman now calling this prison camp home.

Grinning as she climbed back down again, Emily rolled her shoulders and settled beside Newkirk again, lifting one of the bowls waiting on the bench. Flushing faintly, Newkirk took the spoon Emily was offering and looked at the soup, realising how messy this could get.  
'You never spent a lot of time learning to use your weaker hand, did you?' Emily asked, nothing but compassion in her eyes as she took the spoon back and thought for a moment. Getting an idea, she headed to her kit and rifled through it, coming up with a well loved mess tin. Blowing the dirt out, she deftly transferred the soup into the large cup without spilling a drop. Righting the bowl with a flick of her wrist to catch a lingering drip, she walked back to Newkirk and offered out the mess tin with a wink.  
'Smart thinking.' Newkirk praised, sipping his soup and grinning.  
'Well it's my mess tin or I sit here and feed you until you either heal or learn to use your other hand.' Emily teased, picking up her own meal and settling comfortably.  
'Not that I've got much dignity left but thanks.'  
'Don't have many friends, I always take good care of the ones I've got.'  
'Tell me more about your life Emily. I'm just curious about who you really are.'  
'Peter, the less you know about my lifestyle, the better for all of us. I am not exactly a well loved kind of person back home, hunted down by several government organisations as well as people like the men LeBeau led to camp. It's not just my own government out to throw me behind bars, I've got a global network of enemies. This is going to sound crazy, but this is the first place I've lived where I actually felt safe enough to sleep deeply. I usually just nap, always alert to any threats but last night, I stretched out and that was it. I only woke up when Schultz started yelling for roll call.' Emily shrugged, not purposefully trying to be misleading, she just didn't know how to tell him the truth.  
'You're making no sense Emily. What are you trying to say?'  
'I'm a Bounty Hunter, mercenary, gun-for-hire…whatever you want to call it. I make a profit from the misfortune of others, no borders and no rules. Those other two are my competitors, the big guy flies and the shorter one wields the guns. I do both, flying into combat, then hitting the ground to really cause hell. I was on my way to another hunt when I was shot down, hence all the weaponry and my desire to keep my kit safe.'  
'You…'  
'I understand if you don't want anything to do with me anymore Peter, I can't say I blame you.'  
'Don't put words in me mouth. So you're no saint, I don't care. You're still me mate Emily, you've been nothing but great to me since we met. 'Ell, you're taking a huge risk just doing what you're doing and it's all to keep me out of trouble.'

Smiling faintly, Emily nodded and lifted her gaze as Newkirk's words filtered into her mind. Smile growing, she put her spoon down and squeezed his knee gently, her confidence bolstered by his words.  
'You really are a gem Peter, you know that. Here I am talking about what a miserable life I've led and you're perking me up again. You are an angel among men, lifting up the weary and putting them back on the right track. Thank you.'  
'I should be thanking you really. I still don't know 'ow I would 'ave explained this to Schultz. You gave me an option, like an angel from 'eaven. You didn't 'ave to take the risk but you did and I can never thank you enough.'  
'I'm no angel Peter, just another sinner. I guess we both owe each other thanks.' Emily offered, coming up with a compromise with the shy Brit at her side.  
'I'll agree to that.' Newkirk nodded, putting his soup down and finishing his tea. 'I don't know what it is but LeBeau just can't seem to make a decent cup of tea.'  
'Well then, let's see how I stack up.' Emily grinned, getting up and digging through her gear again.  
'Is there anything you're not prepared for? You seem to 'ave everything in that bag.'  
'That's why it's called an emergency pack. Whenever I'm in trouble, I need to be able to dig into this bag and find something to help.'  
'This hardly seems like a reason to be digging into your own supplies.'  
'I'm not much of a tea drinker myself but that doesn't mean I won't carry some. I prefer a good coffee myself, and I'm not talking about that sewage water pretending to be coffee.'

Setting a small cooker and two tins beside Newkirk, Emily took her little emergency kettle and another two small tins and headed topside with a grin.  
'How's Newkirk doing now?'  
'He's brightened up a bit more Colonel. Needed a little help managing lunch but we've got it organised.'  
'Of course, should have used the spare mug. Merci Emily.'  
'It's alright Louis, I had a spare mug in my kit. I just need some water for the kettle and I'll disappear again.' Emily shrugged, grinning as LeBeau took her kettle and went to fill it.  
'What do you need a kettle of water for Emily?' Carter asked, sitting up on his bunk.  
'Here you go mon ami.' LeBeau offered, handing Emily her kettle again.  
'Thanks Louis. Oh, and to answer your question Carter, I'm giving Newkirk a bit of a treat. Here, real tea and coffee from my own stash. Take it easy on the stuff, I don't have a lot.' Emily nodded, handing over the precious tins to LeBeau and heading down again.  
'Real tea and coffee? Don't just stand there LeBeau, make up some.' Hogan grinned, amazed by Emily's generosity.

Listening to the scramble overhead, Emily calmly put the kettle on to boil and went back to her bag, reaching into one of the side pockets and finding one of the small bottles she'd put there. Holding it up, she caught Newkirk's stunned look and nodded before pulling out another.  
'Real milk too?' he asked, careful to keep his voice down so they didn't get a stampede of guys wanting to share the milk too.  
'Made that pack myself, installing a small cool box in the side. There are a lot of secrets hidden in that bag.' Emily grinned, measuring out her coffee and setting a tea bag in the other mug. 'You could use the calcium, drink up.' she added, drawing her knife and popping the cap off one bottle.  
'That's not necessary Emily, really.'  
'Peter, you tripped over a ruddy tree root and broke your arm. Severe lack of calcium there. Next time it might be worse.' Emily sighed, lifting the soup from his hand and pressing the small bottle against his palm.  
'Well, alright.' he agreed, raising the bottle in a toast before drinking deep. 'Blimey. That tasted good Emily. Don't remember the time I actually got real milk that the krauts hadn't watered down to almost nothing.'  
'Newkirk, until we know exactly where those other two stand, let's stick with 'unter.' Emily suggested, spotting movement further down the tunnel.  
'Right you are 'unter.' Newkirk nodded, turning to look at the pair.  
'Well, ain't you a cosy duo. Can't think of any reason why a couple of cockney Brits would be hanging around down here…unless…I think we've got a couple of back door players.' Aloysius taunted, his situation bringing out the worst in him.  
'Well what are we gonna do about them?' Rufus asked, keeping his head down but looking for a fight.  
'So what if we are?' Emily asked, getting to her feet quickly. 'We didn't 'ave to bring you into this camp, we could 'ave easily left you for the krauts.' she continued, guiding Newkirk to his feet and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Catching on quickly, Newkirk wrapped his good arm around Emily's waist and caught her lips, amazed by this turn of fortune. Smiling into the kiss, Emily was careful not to put pressure on his broken arm as she relaxed into the kiss, caught off guard by just what was happening and how willingly Newkirk went along with it.  
'Hey Colonel, think you might want to see this.' Rufus called, poking his head out the tunnel entrance.  
'Get out of sight Rufus. You'll blow the operation if Schultz sees you.' Hogan groaned, chasing Rufus back and climbing down.  
'What's the American policy on homosexuality these days?' Aloysius asked, indicating the lip-locked pair.  
'I already knew about those two. So long as they keep it out of the barracks, Newkirk and Hunter can do whatever feels right.' Hogan shrugged, walking over and tapping Emily on the shoulder. 'Alright you two, break it up. You're making our guests uncomfortable.'  
'Not our fault Gov'nor, they didn't 'ave to stay and watch.' Newkirk replied, catching another sweet kiss before Emily broke away and turned her attention to the whistling kettle.  
'Back down to the holding area you two. I'll send LeBeau to bring you something to eat in a minute. He's just preparing it now.' Hogan continued, ushering the pair back down the tunnel.  
'Oww. Fuck it!' Rufus yelped, catching the same beam he'd head butted the day before.

Filling their mugs and dividing the milk between them, Emily giggled at their close call and nudged Peter gently, bringing him out from his stupor gently.  
'You just…cor, that's thinking fast 'unter.' he uttered, sitting down and accepting his tea.  
'You don't survive in my life without thinking three steps ahead of your competitors at all times.' Emily replied, sipping her coffee and watching Newkirk drink his tea.  
'This is ruddy good, better than that swill we get in the Red Cross packages.' Newkirk grinned, relishing the taste of real tea again. 'But still, a kiss was a bit far.'  
'What would you have done were you in my shoes?'  
''it the bastards, I've always been told I've got a bit of a temper.'  
'Now you tell me Newkirk. You couldn't have mentioned that before…like yesterday.'  
'You caught me off guard.'  
'Alright, I apologise. I should have thought of a different plan. I panicked. I had to come up with a way they wouldn't see me face.'  
'Well you certainly managed that Emily. Don't think they knew which way to look. It's just…' Newkirk blushed, looking away from Emily and shifting uncomfortably.  
'Been a while for you too.' Emily supplied, turning off the cooker and putting it under the bench, the kettle and tins right beside it.  
'Two-and-a-half years.'  
'Been longer for me Peter. Guys just don't want to get involved with a dangerous woman with a price on her head.'  
'A price? Now what are you talking about?' Newkirk asked, putting his mug down and turning his full attention to Emily.  
'You heard right Peter. It's ironic, a Bounty Hunter with a price on her head. If I'm caught and handed over to the right people, my captors could earn a few million dollars. Nine million the last time I checked.' Emily explained, lowering her gaze slowly. 'A lot of people have tried for the bounty, a lot of people have died for it. Knight, the shorter guy LeBeau led back, has tried six times and I've always kicked him aside at the last minute.' she continued, unable to meet Newkirk's eyes again.  
'You should be happy Emily, you're still alive.' he tried, shuffling closer and taking her hand. 'Isn't that something to be proud of? You've survived six attempts on your life, that's good. Right?'  
'I've survived more than six Peter. Knight has tried six times but grand total, we're talking about dozens of close calls. I have trust issues, mostly because of that damned price on my head. Thought I'd found a guy I could fall in love with and trust, but once again I was wrong.' Emily shrugged, emotions all out of whack because of a kindly Brit.

Shuffling closer and wrapping his arm around Emily's shoulders, Newkirk held her close and let her cry on his shoulder, not sure what else to do under these circumstances. Turning a little, Emily draped her arms around her new confidant and wept quietly, grateful for the supportive arm at her back.  
'Everything alright here?' Hogan asked, pausing nearby but not getting too close in case it was personal business.  
'I'll 'andle it Gov'nor. Just talking about some touchy subjects.' Newkirk replied, still not sure why he got along so well with Emily.  
'Alright. Just make sure you're up for roll call in a couple hours Emily.' Hogan nodded, touching her shoulder lightly before walking away. 'Take care of her Newkirk, I've got a feeling she's going to be a valuable friend.'  
'I will Gov'nor.'


	2. Confrontation

Shooting from her bunk the moment she herd a cry of pain, Emily didn't pause, tapping for the doorway to open and jumping through. Charging forward, she showed no fear as she shot past Newkirk and jumped, booted foot connecting heavily with Rufus' chin. Landing lightly beside the fallen man, she spun and unleashed a shocking right cross, powering the blow with all her strength. Her aim was good, slamming into Aloysius' chin and knocking him away from Newkirk.  
'Fall back Peter, I've got this.' she grinned, fists up as the men on the ground slowly lifted their heads.  
'Right 'unter.' Peter nodded, clearly in some pain as he backed up a step.  
'Oh no you don't cockney.' Aloysius growled, sitting up and easing to his feet.  
'Oh yes 'e does.' Emily replied, lashing out again. Pushing her advantage, she kept the pair on the ground with seeming ease, kicking and punching them into submission. Watching from the ladder, Peter was amazed to see how easily Emily kept the pair at bay, muscles coiled for another attack even as she seemed to relax. Landing her boot in Knight's groin, she backed up and hooked into Rufus again, careful not to get blood all over her borrowed uniform. Both men managed to land a few body blows but Emily didn't even flinch, continuing her assault and refusing to give up.

Showing no pain, she stumbled back from the force of a blow to her chin but didn't fall, too damn stubborn to ever dream of giving up.  
'I can take your abuse Knight but when you mess with someone I care about, you're asking for trouble.' she spat, lashing out again and knocking Rufus out. Suddenly Colonel Hogan was there at her side, a sharp hook driving Aloysius back again.  
'You touch my men and you're in for a world of hurt.' Hogan promised, keeping Aloysius off balance as he pushed his advantage.  
'You lose Aloysius.' Emily spat, smashing her fist into his face again and breaking his glasses.

Realising when he was beaten, Aloysius retreated down the runnel, swearing vengeance against Emily as he fell back. Smiling faintly, Emily stretched out her knuckles and turned back to Peter, feeling so much lighter after a good punch up.  
'They didn't 'urt ya did they Emily?' Peter asked, cradling his broken arm again and looking pale.  
'I'm fine Peter. I'm more worried about you. I've got the advantage of peak physical fitness, you don't.' Emily replied, walking over and touching his cheek lightly.  
'Yea, 'e twisted me arm. 'Urt like mad it did.' Peter nodded, swaying on his feet.  
'Shhh, I've got you. I'll take care of you always.'  
'Don't feel safe down 'ere anymore.' Peter sighed, hating the fact he'd just put Hogan in a tight spot.  
'I can understand that Newkirk. We'll figure something out, don't worry.' Hogan nodded, moving aside as Emily helped Peter up into the barracks and followed him out of sight.  
'Pierre, what if Schultz sees you up here?' LeBeau asked, worried for his friend.  
'We'll make it work LeBeau, don't stress. Everyone just keep calm and we'll find a solution.' Emily replied, mind whirling into action again as she tried to come up with a solution to protect Peter and still keep her presence a secret.

Realisation hitting fast, she grinned and ushered Carter off his bunk, guiding Peter down and unwrapping his arm. Taking the medical kit Hogan had carried up for her; Emily calmly handed over the gag and soothed Peter with a touch before realigning the bones and adjusting the splint. Drawing up another does of painkillers, she distracted him with a quiet song and a smile, relaxing slowly as the medication took effect and swept him into unconsciousness.  
'But Emily, how are you going to hide your presence if Newkirk's up here?' Kinch asked, watching Emily pack up her kit and stand.  
'Schultz is coming.' Carter warned, moving back as Emily hit the floor and disappeared under the bunk, dragging her medical kit with her and making sure she was completely hidden. Scarcely daring to breathe, Emily waited quietly as Schultz herded the group outside before rolling from her hiding spot and joining the rest of her barracks. Huddled up against the cold, she held her ground and waited patiently, listening to the krauts and learning about their organisation. She listened to the speech from the kommandant and joined her voice with the chorus of frustration and dissent, blending in and hiding her true identity. Eventually though she headed back inside and perched beside Peter as Hogan led a small group below to deal with the threat and hopefully coax Peter back out of sight.  
'I get that you're scared Peter, 'ell, I get scared facing those two. You're not safe up 'ere though, Schultz ain't stupid. 'E'll realise something's up.' Emily tried, touching his hair lightly and returning his smile.  
'I know Emily, those two gave me a 'eck of a fright is all. 'Ow do you face them so often?' Peter asked, still a little pale but some colour was returning to his face.  
'I'm used to dealing with them. They used to scare me a lot but now I've learned a lot about 'ow to beat them. Once you know 'ow, they're easy to put down. With Knight, break 'is glasses and 'e's practically 'elpless. Rufus lacks confidence, put Knight out of the fight and Rufus usually backs down on 'is own.' Emily explained, looking up when Hogan returned. 'Problem Gov'nor?'  
'We're just trying to work out what to do with those other two. We can't keep them around, it's just not safe.' Hogan shrugged, trying to come up with a solution that wouldn't blow their cover.  
'Let me talk to them Gov'nor, they know me well enough. I might be able to talk them into a truce and end these problems. You could always use a few extra 'ands to 'elp with distractions.' Emily suggested, hoping Hogan could understand her position.  
'Alright Emily, see what you can do. Take Kinch and Carter with you, just in case.' Hogan nodded, climbing out of the tunnel.  
'Got it Gov'nor.' Emily nodded, grabbing her cap and heading for the ladder.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Keeping her face carefully schooled when she saw the pair again, Emily fought down the urge to start screaming again. They looked even worse than when she'd left, most likely the victim of the pack mentality that bloomed among the men under Hogan's command. Dropping all pretences now, she pushed past the men on watch and knelt, knowing she had to do something. Finding Aloysius' spare glasses in his pocket, she slipped them onto his face and pulled out her handkerchief, dabbing at the blood on his lip.  
'Carter, go grab my medkit. It's under your bunk.'  
'Right Emily.'  
'Kinch, I want the names of the men involved in this assault.'  
'Can't do that Emily, we were protecting one of our own.'  
'Hunter? That you?' Aloysius groaned, eyes opening slowly. 'What happened?'  
'You got caught out by the pack mentality of this camp. Beating up Newkirk was a stupid idea, you almost got yourselves booted out of this camp.' Emily sighed, glancing back over her shoulder.  
'Why do you care anyway?' Rufus muttered, lifting his head slowly.  
'I probably shouldn't care either way but our fight doesn't involve these men. I know you probably won't believe me but somehow we've taken a sixty-four year step backwards. It's 1943, we're in the heart of Germany and living under a POW camp.' Emily explained, aware of how stupid that explanation really sounded.  
'You're lying Hunter.'  
'You can check if you don't believe me. Kinch has been here a while, I'm sure he can answer your questions.'  
'And lie for you? No thanks Hunter, I'm not that stupid.'  
'Believe what you want Knight. I don't know why we're here but we'll just have to make the best of a bad situation. Let's be reasonable here, if the Gestapo catch me out around here, I won't be going down alone. I'll drag you down with me Knight.'  
'You wouldn't.'  
'I'd expect nothing less from you. You'd give up your life to protect Rufus, but never me Aloysius.'  
'You know me too well Hunter and that's not a good thing.'  
'Look, we can go on with our stupid personal bickering but you will lose. I've indebted myself to these men, they'll back me in any fights we might 'ave. That other cockney Brit you insulted 'appens to be fairly well liked in camp, I pretty much carried 'im 'ome, reset 'is broken arm three times and now I'm covering 'is place in roll call.' Emily sighed, accepting her medkit and getting to work on treating their various injuries.  
'So it was you and the guy dressed in black…very clever Hunter.' Aloysius praised, barely flinching as Emily working a single suture through his split lip.  
'Look, Colonel 'ogan reckons 'e might 'ave a use for you two but you're going to 'ave to knuckle under and work 'ard. You won't likely be called on to fake attendance for someone else but 'e'll 'ave the answer.' Emily tried, apologising softly as she sharply reset Rufus' nose back where it should have been.  
'You never cease to amaze me Hunter. Here we are in the weirdest situation to date and you're still perfectly calm.'  
'Not perfectly calm Aloysius, I still get jittery pulling off this gag. First bunk the guard sees when he entered the barracks, mine. Got to be on the ball at all times.'  
'Newkirk, what are you doing down here?'  
''Ad to see these two again. Prove I ain't scared of them.'  
'That's the way Peter. They beat you down once but you can't stay down.' Emily praised, mopping up the blood and sitting back on her haunches. 'I'll talk to Colonel Hogan about our deal, he'll be relieved to know he's got backup.' she nodded, rising to her full height and stretching wide.  
'Any chance of getting something to eat? I'm starving.'  
'I'll talk to LeBeau. No promises Rufus but I'll see what can be done.'  
'Thanks Emily.'  
But remember you two, one foot out of line and you're out of here. Our conflict ends now. We've got bigger problems now.'  
'We got it Emily, don't worry. I'm only interested in keeping Rufus safe, that's it.' Aloysius replied, shifting a little to get comfortable.  
'Kinch, I can only assume you've got the key. Release them, we'll have no more trouble from them.'  
'Only Colonel Hogan can release them Emily.'  
'Fine, I'll talk to Hogan.' Emily sighed, securing her medkit and heading for the ladder. 'Good to see you're feeling safer in the tunnels Peter.' she grinned, touching his hand lightly.  
'Might just stay down 'ere for a while. Roll call will be soon.' Peter replied, caching Emily's hand and linking their fingers.  
'No one's forcing the issue, I hope.'  
'Nah, I'm making my own choice. If you're not scared, why should I be?'  
'Smart call Peter. You can keep an eye on my gear, keep those two from going through it.' Emily nodded, setting her medkit among her gear and pulling out a handgun.

Thinking for a moment, she put it back and pulled out a smaller sidearm and screwed a silencer onto it before handing it over butt first.  
'That should keep you safe Peter.'  
'The krauts will hear it if I pull the trigger.' he protested, staring at the black weapon in his hand.  
'That's why I put the silencer on it. You'll be safe to fire off a round or two, just don't go emptying the clip in a panic.'  
'I'll be careful Emily.' he promised, tucking the pistol in his waistband where it would be safe. 'This looks different to the ones you were wearing when we first met.'  
'It is a different gun. This one is smaller, with less recoil. I wouldn't advise you try my usual pistols until you're back to your best. Those things kick like mules and can be dangerous if you're not used to them.' Emily chuckled, pulling out one of her prized eagles and holding it up.  
'You don't have any trouble with them anymore?'  
'I've gotten used to them, moved up from only being able to fire one to firing both at once. They still bite occasionally but I've just about got them tamed.' Emily chuckled, pulling out the second pistol and twirling them quickly.  
'They do look imposin' Emily.'  
'Just wait until see the rounds these things unleash.' Emily grinned, working out a round and smiling as Peter caught it.  
'That'll leave one 'eck of a 'ole.' he remarked, turning the round over in his fingers.  
'At least I know whoever gets hit ain't getting up again.' Emily shrugged, putting her weapons down and taking the lone bullet, along with a leather roll from her kit before heading up top.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Satisfied that she'd have peace for a while, Emily opened the leather roll she's picked up and got to work, pulling the round apart and making it safe. Tipping the gunpowder into a small container, she braced the casing in a small foot clamp and struck the firing pin with a nail through a wooden handle, smiling at the sharp pop. Nodding slowly, she returned the bullet to the casing and tapped it in sharply to secure it before she wrapped the join with a length of thin metal sheeting and applied a touch of heat to shrink it to a perfect fit. Flipping it around again, she selected a suitable tool and turned the firing pin dent into a small hole, bored into the empty chamber behind the projectile. Widening the gap a little more, she picked up a tiny little piece and slotted it into the hole, turning and tweaking it until it was secure and locked into place. Attaching a second loop to the first, she ran a chain through and held it up, the secured round turning slowly with the movement of the chain.  
'That's really clever Newkirk.' Carter remarked, looking up at her.  
'Thanks Carter.' Emily grinned, returning all her gear to the roll and securing it before jumping down and heading into the tunnel.

Stretched out on a temporary cot, Peter looked up from his book when Emily climbed down and tossed her handicraft kit into her pack. Hiding her gift in one hand, she perched beside him happily and toyed with his hair before dangling the round in front of his eyes.  
'You just made this?' he asked, sitting up a little and taking the unique pendant in his hand.  
'It's not that hard once you know what you're doing. I made this one especially for you Peter.' Emily nodded, taking the chain and fastening it around his neck securely. 'Don't worry, I removed the gunpowder and popped the firing pin, it's perfectly safe.'  
'It's amazing Emily, thank you.' Peter grinned, admiring the bullet now hanging around his neck. 'I don't 'ave anything for you though.'  
'Of course you do, you prat. Just spending time with a decent guy who isn't trying to put a bullet in my brain is the best gift I could want.' Emily replied, continuing to gently play with his hair as he settled back, head in her lap.  
'Me sister Mavis would like you Emily. She's always wanted the best for me and I think I've found it.'  
'Don't go making too many plans just yet Peter, we don't know where this life will take us. I might not get to stay with you here. You might not get to come with me back to my time. We don't know what the future holds for us, my sweet man.' Emily sighed, content to trail her fingers through his hair.  
'Isn't that a tomorrow problem. You know, so it won't ruin today.' he mused, leaning into the tender touches happily.  
'We have no way of knowing when our last tomorrow might be Peter. For now, just enjoy today and smile for me, that's all I ask.'  
'Whatever my lady wants.' Peter nodded, getting comfortable and drifting peacefully.  
'Lady? Where?' Emily grinned, looking around quickly. 'Ohh, you mean me Peter. I'm hardly a lady, real ladies don't feel at home in tunnels or run around getting into gunfights. Proper ladies sit at home and gossip over tea or do needlepoint and sew away the hours.'  
'You've never sewn up your pants after an accident?'  
'Well sure, along with the skin underneath but only in dire cases.'   
'I could teach you 'ow to make clothes from scratch. Colonel 'ogan asked me for some new outfits last week. With this, I'll never get done in time.' Peter sighed, sitting up and glancing side-long at Emily.  
'I could use the lessons, I'm not very good with a needle and thread.' Emily agreed, walking over and retrieving her old pants. 'That's my last effort, done in a hurry but it did the trick.' she offered, displaying the long jagged stitch work bridging a large tear down the leg of her pants.  
'I think you'd better get in some practise before we make a start on those uniforms.' Peter grinned, taking Emily's hand and leading her down the tunnel.


	3. First Time Out

Donning her repaired blacks, Emily felt a surge of pride at the neat stitches repairing several tears, a marked improvement over her original attempts and it was all thanks to Peter. Now she got to show Colonel Hogan just what she was capable of in support of a night time mission. Hogan was taking LeBeau and Carter out to meet with the underground to collect some information. When Emily got the signal, she had to deal with the searchlight near the tunnel exit then continue causing disruptions to the camp until they returned safely and gave the second signal. Shouldering her rifle, she crawled out of the tunnel and shot into the forest, picking her nest carefully. Glancing back over her shoulder, she grinned and climbed up into the tree, inching out along the branch she'd chosen and lining up on the searchlight she had to take out. Reaching under her collar, she pulled out Peter's tags and clamped them in her teeth, slipping easily into her sniper mindset.

Spotting the signal in the window of the barracks, she lifted her aim a touch and fired, her best rifle making barely a sound as the round launched. Smiling proudly as the Germans started running around and trying to come up with a plan, she fired again and kicked up a spray of dirt in front of Schultz's feet. Working her rifle quickly, she launched another round into the camp, shattering a window in Klink's office. Firing again, she sent her round ricocheting off the machine gun in the far guard tower and lost it behind the rec hall. She could hear Aloysius to her right, covering the north-south line of the camp as she kept the east-west under her control. Changing magazines quickly, Emily sighted and fired right over Klink's head, tearing through his cap as he hit the ground. Scanning the area below, she found Schultz again and squeezed the trigger, one of her downloads pinging off his helmet and disappearing into the night.

She felt bad for aiming directly at Schultz and Klink but the story would never sell if she didn't get a little too close to the Germans. She felt even worse when a stray shot from Aloysius ricocheted off a machine gun and broke a window in the barracks. Reaching for her portable radio, she activated it and waited a moment for the signal to reach the other unit.  
'Hunter to Knight. Hunter to Knight. Come in Knight.'  
"Reading you Hunter."  
'Watch your shots. Your last one broke a window in barracks two.'  
"Sorry, lost the ricochet in the darkness."  
'Acknowledged. Hunter out.'  
"'ome Base to 'unter. Come in 'unter."  
'Go ahead Home Base.'  
"What are you doing out there? That shot narrowly missed me 'ead."  
'Sorry about that. Knight misjudged a ricochet.'  
"Just be careful."  
'Wilco Home Base.'  
"Acknowledged Home Base."

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Half frozen when she crawled back into the barracks, Emily smiled gratefully as Peter slid from Carter's bunk and worked off his nightshirt, helping her into it before she worked out of her blacks. Letting Peter fuss as she shivered, Emily was just grateful to be back inside and safe again. Accepting the warm cloth wiping off her face, she cracked a faint smile and curled up into the offered warmth a bit more, relaxing and starting to doze.  
'So no one got hurt?' Aloysius asked, walking over to huddle by the fire for a few minutes.  
'We got lucky this time.' Kinch replied, taking the rifles and putting them back with Emily's kit.  
'Gave ol' Klink a mighty scare though. Shot his hat right off his head.' Emily chuckled, curling in against Peter as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders.  
'Noticed Schultz was cowering out of direct sight too. What'd you do to him Emily?' Aloysius nodded, pouring a cup of coffee and putting it in front of Emily before pouring another.  
'I switched to minor loads and pinged one off his helmet. He's probably got a ringing in his ears but that's about the worst he'll suffer.' Emily shrugged, sipping her coffee gratefully. 'But blimey it's cold out there.'  
'You volunteered for that one Emily.' Peter grinned, glad to see Emily was perking up a little more.  
'Like you'd be up to climbing around.' Emily shot back, rolling her eyes at him.  
'It's been four weeks, 'ow much longer d'you expect I'll be out of action?'  
'At least another four weeks. I'll check how you're healing then and make a final call.'

Noticing the way Emily was squirming occasionally, Carter moved closer to her to see what the problem was. He wasn't a medic but if Emily was uncomfortable he'd find a way to help her.  
'You got ants in your pants or something Emily? You 'aven't been this unsettled for a while.' Peter remarked, drawing away from her.  
'A few nights ago, I did a bit of investigating around the barracks. You can be angry with me if you want, I just wanted to know a few things about the men who welcomed me into their lives so willingly. Well, I found out that today is a special day for one of you and I wanted to get you something.' Emily explained, getting up and walking around to Andrew.  
'So that's why my tags were outside my shirt the other morning.' Carter nodded, realising what Emily meant and wondering what she had.  
'I found her underneath the tree I was hiding in. I think she was trying to climb and fell.' Emily grinned, reaching into the nightshirt and lifting out a scrawny little black and white kitten. She was absolutely tiny, one front leg neatly splinted and bound where it had possibly been broken.  
'Emily, POW's can't have pets.' Hogan warned, watching Carter lightly pet the tiny kitten.  
'I can make her a home from some stuff in my kit. Spare clothes and the like. No one else will know she's around.' Emily offered, gently passing the kitten to Carter. 'Happy birthday Andrew.' she added, ruffling his hair gently.  
'Thanks Emily, I'll take good care of her.' Carter replied, cradling the tiny kitten safely against his chest, careful of her hurt leg.  
'I know you will Andrew. She'll have to stay in the tunnel though, Colonel Klink won't be as understanding about her presence.' Emily nodded, content the little kitten would be safe now. 'She'll need a name Andrew.'  
'What's your middle name Emily? I'd like to name her in your honour.'  
'Andrew, I'd be delighted. I think Belinda would be a lovely name.' Emily flushed, turning and heading for her bag.  
'Belinda, it's perfect.'

Digging through her kit quickly, Emily pulled out several shirts and knelt, bundling them into a neat pillow in the corner. Thinking for a moment, Peter left the small table and retrieved an old cardboard box, holding it steady as Kinch cut out a hole so the kitten could come and go as pleased once she'd healed. Packing the box with padding, Emily reached into her bag again and pulled out a small travel alarm clock, winding it up quickly and hiding it among the cloth. Then she grabbed out a pen and neatly scribed Belinda onto the box so no one could forget about her. Satisfied with the new home for the kitten, she opened her medical kit and selected a syringe from the set she had and carefully removed the needle before drawing out a part bottle of milk she'd been saving.  
'she's probably hungry.' she suggested, returning to Andrew's side and sitting the kitten up a bit before drawing some milk into the syringe and coaxing the kitten to feed.  
'She's purring Emily, I can feel it.' Andrew grinned, supporting the tiny kitten and taking over the feeding.  
'She knows she's safe now. Once her leg has healed up, she'll be able to feed from a bowl, I'll get onto making something in the next few days. In the mean time, she'll need to be fed every few hours.' Emily sighed, gaze falling to Peter. 'Can I trust you guys to help out?'  
'I'm not totally 'eartless Emily, I'll 'elp.' Peter nodded, watching the way Andrew was feeding his kitten.

Once she'd had her fill, Andrew carried her over and gently tucked her into bed, smiling as she curled up in the soft black cloth and closed her pretty green eyes slowly. Stroking her side for a moment, Andrew whispered a quick goodnight and headed for bed, thoughts of his little kitten running around his mind.  
'Keep an eye on her Peter, she's still very weak. I really don't want to lose her now, not after the fun I had of keeping her calm to this point.' Emily whispered, touching his cheek lightly before climbing up and out of sight. Smiling faintly, Peter got comfortable on his temporary cot and relaxed, constantly alert for sounds from the Belinda.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Climbing down right after roll call and inspection, Andrew couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he gently picked Belinda up and was nuzzled on the chin. On Emily' guidance, he offered her some well chewed meat, much to Peter's disgust. Belinda seemed happy to eat it, even going so far as to look for more once the first morsel was gone. Turning away from Newkirk, Carter worked another lump out of his cheek and offered it down, glad to see Belinda was bouncing back from her ordeal. Refusing more meat when Belinda mewed, he picked up the waiting syringe of milk and offered that instead, totally dedicated to his little charge.  
'How'd she sleep last night?' he asked, swallowing the last of his breakfast meat as he turned back to Newkirk.  
''Ardly 'eard a peep from 'er all night. She cried for a few moments quite late but I gave 'er a feed and she went back to sleep 'appily. 'Ad to restart the clock in her bedding too but apart from that, she slept peacefully.'  
'Thanks for helping me out with Belinda, means a lot to me Peter.'  
'It's me pleasure Andrew. She's a beautiful little thing.' Newkirk replied, getting up and digging in his pocket. 'I couldn't sleep after I fed her and got her comfortable again so I made this for her. It's not much but I think it suits.' he added, offering out the bright red collar.  
'It's perfect Peter, thanks.' Carter grinned, accepting the collar and carefully handing Belinda over. Cradling the kitten to his chest, Peter smiled softly as Carter secured the collar around her neck and adjusted it so her name could be seen clearly. The stitching wasn't quite straight and the letters were a little off kilter but it was the thought that really counted as far as either man was concerned.

Equally worried about how the kitten had gone on her first night in a loving environment, Emily was happy to see her nestled against Peter's chest, her brand new collar standing out perfectly against her fur.  
'Well someone's certainly brightened up this morning.' she grinned, taking the kitten and checking her leg gently.  
'Do you think its broken Emily?' Carter asked, hoping his little friend would be okay.  
'I don't think so, it could be just a bad sprain. We'll stand her up and see how she goes.' Emily shrugged, undoing the split as she walked over to the small table used for tunnel briefings.

Setting Belinda on her feet, Emily watched as the little kitten lifted her front right foot then carefully placed it down again, limping on it but at least she was putting some weight on it.  
'I can't claim to know a lot about caring for animals but I had a couple of dogs. No animal puts any weight on broken bones, so I'd say this little one just sprained something.' she surmised, seeing the relief in Carter's eyes. 'Best we can do is immobilise gently and give gentle exercise until she heals up.'  
'Medkit?' Peter grinned, putting the box in Emily's reach.  
'Thanks Peter. Alright Belinda, down you go.' Emily soothed, easing the kitten onto her side and wrapping her leg again.  
'How long do you think it'll take Emily?'  
'I can't be sure Andrew. I'll check every couple of days and see how we go.'  
'Gee, thanks Emily.'  
'I do what I can for my friends Andrew.' Emily replied, catching Peter trying to sneak away to do a bit more sewing. 'And don't think I've forgotten about you. Sit down and I'll take a look at your arm.'  
'Alright Emily.' Peter nodded, hooking a seat and waiting patiently for Emily to get to him.  
'You did good with the meat earlier too Andrew, Kinch told me what you did. I've spoken with LeBeau and he's agreed to keep a few scraps aside for Belinda every night. You can borrow my spare knife to cut them up small for her, just mind your fingers. I've got some milk left but Hogan's going to see if he can't get Klink to give over a bit more. Not sure how he'll swing that but he'll give it a go. It would be a good idea if you could find something for Belinda to play with, a bell or…duh, I'm an idiot. Sit down, I've got an idea.'

Settling on the ground, Belinda resting in his lap, Andrew listened to Emily's advice and removed his dogtags, dangling them in front of Belinda. Brightening up again, Belinda reached up with her uninjured paw and batted at them, getting into the game quite willingly despite her injuries.  
'You know more about healing animals than you think Emily.' Peter remarked, flinching as the splints came away from his arm.  
'Whenever my dogs got hurt, I'd patch them up then amuse them with a game of ball. I'd stretch out on the floor and bat it to them, they'd swat it right back.' Emily grinned, handing over the leather gag before starting to run her hands over the break, searching for problems.  
'What kind of dogs did you have Emily?' Andrew asked, still playing with Belinda but listening to the story.  
'Couple of German Shepard's, beautiful boys they were. Trained them myself, turned them from chubby little puppies into sleek, powerful attack dogs without fear. If I was threatened, they'd go anyone or anything to help me out of a jam. Pretty sure Aloysius has still got bites marks on his leg from the last time he tried anything.' Emily recalled, wrapping Newkirk's arm again and securing the splits once more. 'You're going alright Peter, another few weeks and you'll be back to your best.'  
'I thought I was doing better than that. I made Belinda's collar meself.' Peter shrugged, indicating the red cloth strip.  
'You should be right to get back to your sewing, you're just not getting in on the outside work yet. Just take it easy, I don't really want to have to reset that arm again.' Emily replied, fishing out her wallet from her kit and flipping it open. 'Those are my boys, Romus and Remus. Best damn dogs you've ever seen.' she grinned, letting Peter see the boys she loved and shared her home with.  
'Did you say dogs Emily?' LeBeau asked, poking his head into the tunnel.  
'Yeah, I did. What of it?'  
'Come with me Pierre.' he winked, vanishing from sight. Sighing softly, Emily picked up her hat and scrambled up the ladder.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Following LeBeau over near the dog pens, Emily snuck a look in and gulped, instantly recognising two of the dogs. Things had just gotten even stranger for her.  
'Who's this LeBeau?' the man by the waiting truck asked, seemingly unconcerned.  
'This is the new arrival in camp, the one I told you about yesterday.'  
'Ah yes, Emily.'  
'That's me. Now what's this all about?' Emily nodded, keeping a sharp ear out for the guards.  
'Those two dogs there, I don't recognise them. They've been here for a week but they're not mine.'  
'I know. They're mine. It's a long story, one I hope to have time to tell you. We need to hide them before the krauts realise.' Emily replied, looking to LeBeau for the answer.  
'You know them best. What do you suggest?'  
'So long as they can smell me, they'll be fine. I guess my scent is travelling to them otherwise they would have already tried to escape and find me again. Closest tunnel entrance?'  
'What about Belinda?'  
'I'll keep them separated. If I tell Rom and Rem to stay in one particular area, they won't move. Slowly, slowly we'll introduce Belinda and see how we go. They won't attack her, promise.'  
'Alright, there's a tunnel entrance under the kennel there. Can you get them down the ladder?'  
'Trust me LeBeau, I'll get them out of sight.' Emily nodded, following LeBeau into the dog yard.

Signalling for Rom and Rem to be quiet and crawl to her, Emily waited until LeBeau had opened the kennel entrance and climbed down. Scrambling into the tunnel, she propped the kennel up and hustled the dogs inside, watching them scamper down the ladder before she resettled the kennel and climbed down beside them.  
'Hush boys, hush. Gotta be real quiet.' she whispered, checking their collars and smiling when she discovered they were both wearing their original collars. 'All clear?'  
'We're all clear Emily.' LeBeau nodded, securing the entrance and climbing down. 'These are your dogs?'  
'Had them since they were just pups. Romus, Remus, meet Louis LeBeau, my friend.' Emily nodded, chuckling softly as both dogs offered a paw.  
'Romus and Remus, a pleasure.' LeBeau offered, shaking their paws before patting them gently. 'They're amazing Emily.'  
'They sure are. So smart and very well trained. You obviously feed the rest of the dogs up top.'  
'Every night.'  
'Good, so if I leave these two here would you mind offering them something to eat as well?'  
'Be happy to Emily.'  
'Thanks mate.' Emily nodded, squeezing his shoulder gently before turning her attention back to the dogs. 'You two stay here. I'll bring your blankets and make you a nest here to sleep. You'll be safe. Remember, quiet.' she instructed, hands closing over their muzzles gently as she spoke. Tails wagging, the pair stood and padded over to one corner, curling up together and drifting to sleep.  
'That's it?'  
'Told you they were well trained. They'll stay put until I give them a different instruction.'  
'I am impressed. You've got blankets for them?'  
'Sure, in my emergency kit.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hustling back with the doggy blankets, Emily set them out on the floor and sat back on the floor, her precious boys snuffling around her to try and work out the unusual odours. Looking up when the rest of the group appeared, they trotted over and gave them all a thorough sniffing too, getting to know the five men in the tunnel behind Emily.  
'Good boys, they're all friends. You can trust them.' she soothed, getting up and walking over to pat them both.  
'Now you're adopting unwanted dogs Emily? This is going too far.'  
'Colonel Hogan, these two aren't kraut dogs. I've had them since they were pups. When I got dropped in the woods, they got dropped in with the other dogs. These two will be absolutely silent, no one up top will even know they're here.' Emily promised, chuckling as Romus stuck his nose right in Peter's crotch.  
'Get out of that will ya.' Peter groused, shoving the dog back.  
'Sorry Peter, I should 'ave warned you about that. They smell me on you and vice versa. They're trying to work out what's going on.' Emily offered, tugging Remus back before he could do the same thing. 'hup boys, hup.' she coaxed, shifting her weight back as both dogs jumped up to put their front paws on her chest.  
'Mind the paw prints.'  
'I washed their feet before telling you all they were here. Look, no muddy paws.' Emily replied, sending the dogs back to their bed and displaying the clean shirt.  
'Alright, they can stay. Just keep them away from Belinda.'  
'Count on it Hogan. These two will stay right here where I've set up their beds and water bowls. LeBeau promised to leave them food when he goes to feed the pack up top. I promise you, these two boys will never make a fuss about their living conditions.'  
'What about their toilet situation?'  
'I carved out a small offshoot cave for that and bored out a few vents into the dog yard. I've got it under control Colonel, stop worrying. I've put these dogs into tighter confines than this and never had a problem.'  
'Well, alright Emily. If you're absolutely sure about this they can stay put.'

Getting to her feet, Emily knew the dogs were watching her as she walked around behind Newkirk and wrapped him up in a hug, head on his shoulder lightly. Hoping he understood what Emily was doing, Peter wrapped his left arm around her waist and squeezed gently, trying to reassure the dogs that he was a friend. Snuffling quietly, Romus stood and padded over to the pair, looking up at them curiously as he waited.  
'He's got it now Peter. He understands that you're important to me and not just as a target. Give him a pat, he won't hurt ya.' Emily nodded, bolstering Peter's confidence as he reached out and gave Romus a pat between the ears. Getting up off the blankets, Remus came over for pats and love too, soaking up the attention from everyone and not really worrying when Carter kept his distance.  
'We'd better get back to barracks, just in case.' Hogan suggested, straightening to his full height.  
'Yeah, good point. Be good boys, I'll come check on you later.' Emily nodded, heading back down the tunnel as the dogs returned to their blanket and settled comfortably.


	4. New Challenges

Resisting the urge to hide away and reduce her risks, Emily found something to amuse her mind and nudged Carter lightly, coaxing him outside for a game of catch. Letting rip with the baseball, she grinned and relaxed, revelling in the fresh air after five weeks hiding in the tunnels and keeping out of sight as much as she could. It felt good to throw the ball with Carter, taking her mind off secrets and giving her a chance to stretch out again. Moving back with the catch, she unleashed again, half an ear on the conversation Kinch and Hogan were having.  
'Newkirk, something for Belinda.' Hogan uttered, slipping something into her pocket and walking off. Catching the ball, Emily touched the neatly wrapped bundle in her pocket and nodded faintly, recognising fish of some kind. Moving to the right, she kept pitching the ball to Carter and passed the package to LeBeau without anyone the wiser.  
'Get it to Peter. It's for Belinda.' she directed, catching the ball and throwing it back.  
'Oui, I'll see it arrives.' LeBeau nodded, pocketing the goodies and heading for the barracks. Catching Carter's eye, Emily winked and let fly again, bombing the ball right into his reaching hands.  
'Ready for a big one Newkirk?'  
'Give it your best shot Carter.' Emily nodded, backing up quickly as Carter wound up for a long throw.

Eyes on the ball, Emily caught her heel on a small indent in the ground and went over backwards. Instincts kicking in, she threw her hands backwards and kicked off with her still grounded left foot, turning what could have been an ugly fall into an almost graceful back flip. Rising back to her full height, she scooped up her cap and jogged over to retrieve the ball from where it had landed.  
'Newkirk, I had no idea you could do back flips.'  
'Nothing to it Schultz. Travelled with a circus when I was young, picked up a few skills.'  
'Could you show me some more?'  
'I don't know Schultzie.'  
'What's going on over here Newkirk?'  
'Schultzie 'ere was just askin' if I could show off a bit, you know.'  
'Show off what?'  
'Me gymnastics of course. Learned it in the circus.'  
'Now you've got my attention Newkirk. I had no idea you were in the circus.'  
'I was just a boy, thought it might be fun.' Emily shrugged, hoping Newkirk wasn't going to go off about this one.  
'We could all use a little entertainment Newkirk. Go on, why not show off.'  
'Alright, alright. I'll 'ave a go. This is 'ardly the safe way but it'll do.' Emily sighed, backed into a corner and she knew it.  
'What do you need?'  
'Nothing Schultzie. Got it all right here.' Emily grinned, shouldering out of her jacket and handing it to Hogan along with her cap. 'All I really need is a bit of space.'

Backing up a few steps, she kicked into a run and vaulted forward, planting her hands and flipping over in a series of rapid rotations. Not worried by the sensations building up in her head, she caught her last flip and held the handstand before springing back in the other direction, catching a brief glance at the real Newkirk, peering over Kinch's shoulder from the safety of their barracks. He was only there for a moment before he vanished, leaving Emily free to have some fun. Reaching the end of the run again, she landed on both feet and turned, acknowledging the gathered prisoners as they applauded the effort.  
'I need a volunteer. Someone who isn't afraid to risk getting kicked in the 'ead. I'll try not to but accidents 'appen.' she called, easily keeping up the deception under pressure.  
'I'll do it Newkirk. What do you need?' Hogan replied, putting down the jacket and cap he was holding and moving to her side.  
'Go about 'alf way down and cup your 'ands like this. Make sure you've got a good grip, me boot will be going in your 'ands at a run. When you feel that, 'eave straight up.' Emily directed, sending him off down the alley created among the men.

Signalling his readiness, Hogan braced his feet and prepared for what was certainly going to be a surprise as Emily broke into a run, kicking up the dirt behind her. Planting her foot firmly and getting the added boost from Hogan, she vaulted skywards and curled into a tuck, aware of so many eyes on her twirling form. Arcing over backwards, she landed and rolled backwards, the cheers almost deafening as she stood.  
'Schultz!' Klink bellowed, storming from his office. 'What is going on out here?'  
'The Englander Newkirk is just doing some gymnastics, Herr Kommandant.'  
'Is this true Newkirk?'  
'Yes Sir. 'Aven't done any for a long time. Feels good to be so active again.'  
'I should like to see some of this for myself.'  
'Very well Sir.' Emily nodded, turning back to the run and waving Colonel Hogan out of the way. ''ow's about we up the ante a bit Sir.' she smirked, turning her back to the run and trying to come up with a decent rhyme.

Finding the one she wanted, she flipped the length of the run and turned, flying back down the other way and calling out the chant she'd come up with.  
''itler 'as only got one ball, Goering 'as two but very small, 'immler 'as something similar But poor old Goebbells 'as no balls at all.' barely slowing at all, she flew off again, repeating the chant and making sure to get it stuck in everyone's head. ''itler 'as only got one ball, Goering 'as two but very small, 'immler 'as something similar But poor old Goebbells 'as no balls at all.'  
'Newkirk!' Klink called, face a very interesting shade of red.  
'Yes sir?' Emily asked, dropping into the splits and not even flinching as everyone expected.  
'Thirty days in the cooler!'  
'Colonel, I must protest.'  
'It's alright Gov'nor, I deserved that.' Emily shrugged, getting to her feet and whistling the tune merrily as she was escorted towards the cooler. 'Totally worth it.'  
'I have no idea where he learned that rhyme Colonel. I've never heard it myself sir.'  
'Dismissed.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Returning the all clear signal, Emily continued her push ups when the floor hatch popped open and LeBeau appeared. Accepting the tray he was carrying, Emily sat up and crossed her legs, stomach grumbling at the wonderful array of odours wafting up.  
'You've got a visitor too.' he added, disappearing from sight as Emily tucked into her steak and veg.  
'Why'd you do it Emily?' Newkirk asked, propping open the hatch and leaning on the floor.  
'Couldn't resist. I've had that chant running around in my head since I got here. Today seemed as good a time as any to pull it out.'  
'Well it worked, everyone's 'umming the same tune. No one's game to tell me the words though.'  
'Shh, I'll let you in on the secret.' Emily winked, putting her meal aside and stretching out beside Peter. 'Hitler has only got one ball, Goering had two but very small, Himmler has something similar But poor old Goebbells has no balls at all.' she whispered, clamping her hand over his mouth before he started laughing.

Calming again, Peter settled back and smiled as Emily went back to her meal, not overtly concerned about the situation she was in so long as she had company and food coming in.  
'Eat up Emily, we'll 'ave to take the tray when we go.'  
'I know, I know. Just promise me you'll check in on the dogs every day and refill their water bowls.' Emily nodded, forgoing cutlery and picking up her steak in her fingers.  
'Won't they attack?'  
'Nah, they know you now. In my kit there's another spare fatigues shirt and a spray tin of deodorant. Dose my shirt with the deodorant and carry it with you. That will calm them down; they'll recognise you as my new companion and accept you into our pack. Just try not to catch anyone in the spray when you dose the shirt, we don't want anyone else getting sniffed out.'  
'Got it covered Emily, don't worry. What about Belinda?'  
'Unwrap her leg three a day and gently manipulate the joints for a few minutes before wrapping it up again. Don't do it too tight, the idea is to support without restricting blood flow.'  
'So just like you've been doing on my arm?'  
'Exactly like that, just without the splints. Remember to keep Carter playing with her daily and trying to get her to use that damaged leg. It's for her own good, as much as it hurts her at the moment.'  
'I'll handle it Emily.'

Finishing her meal quickly, Emily licked her fingers and thought for a moment before reaching over and wiping her hands on Newkirk's shoulder with a sly grin.  
'Demoted to 'and towel, 'ow embarrassing.'  
'Aww, don't take it personally. Be kinda obvious if I had greasy fingerprints on my shirt.'  
'Fair call. Will you be okay tonight Emily?'  
'Stop worrying about me Peter, I'll be fine. I've slept rough before; at least here I've got walls to break the wind and happy thoughts to see me through the darkest moments. Don't be concerned, I will survive this trial as I've survived so many others.' she soothed, reaching past Peter to hand her tray to Louis.  
'I'll come check on you tomorrow.'  
'Don't neglect your new duties Peter. The dogs will need your attention and Andrew will need guidance with Belinda. I'm a tough breed, something as pitiful as a month in these charming surroundings won't break my spirit. Tonight my mind will fly free, lifted by your tender smile.' she offered, not sure why Peter was bringing out her romantic side so much.  
'Tomorrow my angel, I'll let you know how things are going.' Peter grinned, stealing a sweet kiss before disappearing back down the tunnel. 'Be safe, I'll be thinking of you.' he uttered, closing the hatch and securing it quickly.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Back to the door as she ran through a few warm up stretches, Emily got the blood flowing and raised her temperature, a soft smile on her face as she thought about the sweet dreams she'd enjoyed the night before and every other night of the week she'd been locked up.  
'Newkirk.'  
'What is it Schultz?'  
'Kommandant Klink has agreed to release you.'  
'Mighty kind of 'im.' Emily grinned, picking up her jacket and cap. 'Still got that song stuck in your 'ead?'  
'No thanks to you Englander.'  
'Just a 'armless joke Schultzie. Don't feel bad. I'm sure you're not the only one still thinking that song.' Emily smirked, exiting her cell and shouldering into her jacket.  
'Jolly joker.'

Whistling a different merry little tune as she left the cooler, Emily headed straight for her barracks to check up on things. Kinch already had the entrance open when she walked in and tucked her cap through her belt safely.  
'Miss anything interesting?'  
'Nah, we kept our heads down after your prank. I'm warning you Newkirk, one more like that and I won't be able to help.' Hogan replied, hoping Emily got the message.  
'Relax Gov'nor, I'll be'ave now.' Emily replied, dropping a wink as she climbed down.

Sitting cross legged in the dirt, Carter looked up from his latest game with Belinda and smiled, gently scooping the kitten up as he stood.  
'I didn't think Klink was going to let you out early.'  
'Don't ask me Carter, ask Colonel Hogan. So how's out little patient?'  
'She's doing heaps better. I've been exercising her joints just like you said to Emily.' Carter replied, handing Belinda over and watching as Emily carried the kitten over to the table and put her down. Looking up at Emily for a moment, Belinda stood and ran over to Carter, bounding into his waiting arms.  
'Well done Andrew, she's doing better than I expected. You have been taking your duties very seriously, haven't you?'  
'Yes Emily, I promised I'd take good care of Belinda and I meant it. She's been feeding well and now takes her milk from a little bowl Kinch made. She doesn't need her meat cut up small anymore either, she can manage smallish lumps all on her own.'  
'That's fantastic Andrew. Come back here Belinda; let's have a proper look at you.' Emily grinned, accepting the kitten again and stroking her lightly as she checked the youngster over. Purring softly, Belinda eagerly accepted the loving contact, clearly feeling a lot happier than when Emily had first rescued her.

Nodding slowly at her discoveries, Emily removed Peter's tags from around her neck and coaxed Belinda into a game, her satisfaction growing as Belinda eagerly started to play with the tinkling, glinting metal plates.  
'I'm so proud of you Andrew; you've done an exceptional job caring for Belinda. She's doubled her weight, her coat is shining and she's really perked up. I knew she'd get to this stage but I was expecting it to take a lot longer.' she praised, handing the kitten back to Carter and slipping Peter's tags back on.  
'You really mean that Emily?'  
'I'm very proud of you Andrew. Keep up the good work and Belinda will grow in to a fine cat.'  
'I'll keep working on building up her strength and health. She still tires easily.'  
'Good man Andrew. Have you seen Peter?'  
'Yeah, he said he was going to go let the dogs know you were being let out.'  
'Thanks Andrew.' Emily nodded, taking off down the tunnel network.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Another day done, Emily turned her back on the group and changed into Peter's sleepwear, glancing back over her shoulder at a comment from Carter.  
'What's that on your back?'  
'Oh that, 'ad it for years Andrew.' Emily grinned, releasing the cloth and shaking it over her back. 'A blade forged by the fire in me belly from the steel in me spine.'  
'You are full of surprises today.' Kinch remarked, climbing into bed.  
'No doubt there Kinch.' Emily agreed, climbing up and getting settled on her bunk. Her timing was good; she was snuggled in in her bunk when Schultz opened the door, still oblivious to the young woman so close.  
'Good night, jolly jokers.' Schultz smiled, hand hovering over the light switch.  
'Night Schultzie.' Emily replied, snuggling down more and covering a yawn.

Plunged into darkness, the men relaxed and drifted towards sleep but Emily had one last task to complete. Clearing the trap door bunk, she opened it and smiled as Peter climbed up, Belinda sleeping safely in the cradle of his right arm.  
'Andrew, visitor.' Emily called quietly, perching on the railing and stealing a sweet kiss.  
'Sleep well Belinda. I'll see you tomorrow.' Andrew whispered, lightly stroking Belinda before heading back to his bunk.  
'I'll keep you safe tonight Peter. Sleep well and dream the sweetest dreams you can. Let our minds soar into the future and go free.' Emily grinned, touching his cheek lovingly.  
'Tomorrow I'll have a surprise ready for you, my fallen angel. Sleep well, dream free.' Peter replied, leaning up to catch a tender kiss before scrambling out of sight, Belinda still fast asleep in his embrace.

Smiling softly as she returned to her bunk, Emily climbed up and settled back contentedly, mind already filling with dreams for her future. She knew it was probably silly to dream but she couldn't help but wonder where her life might go if she could stay on and make a life with Peter. Pulling up the blankets she settled and let her mind go, wondering where it might take her tonight. She ended up going to London, settling down in a little house in the suburbs. Sitting on the bench under the tree, they watched their children playing happily together. Five little boys, each one named in honour of a dear friend and all a joy to watch. They all seemed to understand each other, knowing how far they could push before things got out of hand.  
'Hunter got a mission for ya.'

That voice invading her dreams woke Emily quickly and she glared at Hogan, leaning against the bunks in his blacks. Sitting up quickly, she vaulted down with a curl of her back and landed without a sound beside Hogan.  
'You just had to ruin a good dream, didn't you?' she sighed, climbing down and heading for her blacks. She paused and watched Peter for a moment, fast asleep on his temporary cot in a little alcove off the radio room. He looked so much younger in sleep, calm and relaxed as he dreamed the sweetest dreams.  
'We've got a contact waiting Emily. Hurry it up.' Hogan hissed, waiting somewhat patiently for Emily to finish changing and strap on her pistol before lacing up her boots.  
'Alright Colonel, lead the way.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hearing the German patrol, Emily didn't need to think about a plan, she just acted. Grabbing Hogan and their contact by the collars, she leapt into a hay mound, fluffing up the pile behind them and curling up in a ball. Barely breathing, the trio waited in the middle of the hay for the patrol to pass, every sense alert for danger. Giving them another few minutes, Emily hugged the ground as she inched out if her hiding place and scanned the area, keeping her body pressed to the ground. Spotting the patrol again, she gulped and scrambled back into the hay. Working out which of her companions was Hogan, she grabbed his hand and passed a message with Morse code, beating her words onto his palm with her thumb. Replying the same way, Hogan sent Emily out to watch the patrol and report when they moved off again.

Calling on all her skills and training, Emily hugged the ground and listened to the Germans nearby, translating their words and memorising the mundane conversation. They weren't talking about anything really important but still, they might let something slip. She could hear one of the dogs getting a little restless and hoped that the scent of her own dogs on her clothes was enough to keep them from reacting to her presence. Her luck held, the dogs settled, the patrol finished their break and they moved off again, clearing the way for Emily and Hogan to get moving. Crawling back across the ground, Emily wormed into the hay and signalled that they had the all clear.  
'Hands up.' their contact growled, pistol poking Emily in the back.  
'Not this again.' Emily sighed, raising her hands and stumbling out of the hay, Hogan at her side.  
'I will get a nice reward for capturing Papa Bear at last. The Gestapo are most interested in talking to you.'  
'Well that's not happening.' Emily challenged, instincts taking over her mind. Whirling around, she lunged at the men with the gun, stumbling when he pulled the trigger. Growling low in her throat now, she rolled over slowly, left hand pressed over the wound in her side and whipped out her own sidearm. Before anyone could react, she fired three rounds into her attacker and let the pistol fall, gasping for breath.

Knowing the Germans had to have heard the shots; Hogan scooped up Emily's pistol, tucked it through his belt and hoisted the wounded woman over his shoulders before taking off towards the forest. Groaning in pain, Emily held on tight as she was carried away, the sounds of German voices falling behind until Hogan set her down again.  
'Stay with me Hunter, you can't go to sleep.' Hogan uttered, tearing a strip from his shirt and packing it over the wound in her side.  
'Hogan, shut it. I've been shot before, I know the drill. Now come on, we have to get moving.' Emily groaned, binding the wound and gaining her feet.  
'Lean on me, I'll get you back to camp.'  
'Just lead the way, I'll keep up.'  
'Emily…'  
'This is my fifteenth torso shot, I'm used to it. Now come on.'  
'Alright, this way.'

Keeping up easily with Hogan, Emily dug into her mental reserves and pushed hard, refusing to be kept from Peter when there was something she could do to get back to him.  
'You've gone quiet back there Hunter.'  
'Saving my strength.'  
'Need a hand?'  
'I can make it.'  
'You're as stubborn as Newkirk.'  
'Nah, just live a hard life.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Practically falling down the ladder, Emily bit back a yelp and staggered to her feet, finally accepting Hogan's help to make the trek. Supporting the wounded woman gently, Hogan led her down the tunnel and into the chamber under their barracks before guiding her down onto another empty cot.  
'I'll go get Wilson; he's the only other medic in camp unless you want to explain how you got shot to a kraut.'  
'Don't need 'im; I can take care of this meself. Just need someone to 'and me stuff.' Emily replied, carefully removing the padding as Hogan collected her medkit and popped it open.  
'What do you need first Emily?' he asked, holding the kit so she could reach it as she got comfortable.  
'Sterile gauze and saline to clean the wound.'  
'Got it.'

Awoken by the quiet voices, Peter sat up and gasped when he saw Emily covered in blood and trying to suture her own wound. Getting to his feet, he walked over and took the needle from her hand, slipping it through the skin gently and pulling the threat firm.  
'Thanks Peter.' Emily uttered, settling back comfortably and letting Peter work on her wound.  
'What happened Emily?' he asked, adjusting the tension so it didn't pull too much.  
'Contact tried to hand us to the Gestapo. Couldn't let that happen so I challenged him. He got off a lucky shot before I killed him.' Emily briefed, never even flinching as Peter tied off the last stitches and selected an appropriate dressing.  
'Just so long as you're okay Emily.' he nodded, holding the gauze over the wound before taping it down properly to protect her stitches,  
'Been shot plenty of times before. No big deal. Now I'm just going to curl up in bed and sleep off the worst of the pain. Tomorrow I'll be as good as ever.' Emily grinned, sitting up carefully and checking her range of movements.  
'Take it easy Emily.' Peter warned, packing away the supplies he'd used.  
'You worry too much Peter.' Emily sighed, catching a kiss and moving to get changed again.

Wiping the last of the greasepaint from her face, she turned and headed for the ladder, pushing aside her aches and pains in favour of her rough, uncomfortable bunk. Smiling when Peter took her arm, she turned and accepted a loving kiss, heart lightened by his affectionate smile as he released her.  
'Don't scare me like that again Emily.' he uttered, his true feelings coming out now that he didn't have to worry about anyone else seeing.  
'I'll try not to Peter but I am who I am. Don't worry too much, I'm a tough breed.' Emily soothed, toying with his hair for a moment before climbing up. Refusing Carter's offer of a bunk switch, she climbed up and got comfortable, willpower and practise making it easy for her to fall asleep despite her pain.


	5. Switchback

Bounding down the tunnel after morning roll call, Emily obligingly let Peter check her stitches and knew she'd have another scar to always remind her of a close call. She didn't mind the idea of a new scar; she already had plenty of them decorating her skin.  
'So how's our crazy woman this morning?' Aloysius asked, accepting the breakfast tray Louis offered him.  
'I'm just fine Knight, nothing to it. Took a bullet and never made a sound, unlike you.' Emily countered, not even flinching when Peter's hand slipped applying the tape and poked her stitches.  
'I've never made it a habit to keep getting shot.'  
'Held me tongue every time.'  
'Not when I got you in the shoulder the third time.'  
'That was a shotgun, different story.'  
'What about the knife strike? You yelled that time too.'  
'Still got back up and put the smack down on you for your efforts.'  
'Yeah, I haven't forgotten. I've still got a few small scars to remind me about that day.'  
'There you go Emily, all patched up.' Peter grinned, smoothing out the dressing. 'Now, about me arm?'  
'Alright, alright. Let's have another look. Nine weeks should have been enough time, hopefully.' Emily nodded, sitting up and cradling Peter's arm in her hand.  
'With the calcium supplements you've been giving me, I'll be okay.' Peter shrugged, rolling his shoulders and relaxing as Emily unbound his arm and set the splints out of the way.

Apologising with her eyes as she dug her fingers in, Emily searched for the breaks and smiled faintly when she couldn't find them anymore. Lightening her grip, she searched out any other complications, her smile widening when she found none. Thinking for a moment, she packed up her medkit and clipped it shut before putting it on the table and turning away. Without thinking, Newkirk picked up the kit and followed, much to Emily's pleasure.  
'Yep, I'd say you're back in business Peter. No pain from the weight?' she grinned, indicating the solid metal case in his hand.  
'A little but I think it's more because I 'aven't used me arm in a while.' Peter shrugged; setting the case up among Emily's other gear.  
'Then we have good news. Looks like it's my turn to get an uninterrupted night of sleep for a change.' Emily smirked, removing her jacket and cap. 'It'll be nice to go back to old routines for a while.'  
'I'm back on the roster?' Peter grinned, looking forward to getting back in the sun for a while. 'Didn't think I'd ever 'ear you say that.'  
'The sooner you get changed, the sooner you can go soak up the sun Peter.' Emily sighed, heading to where she'd left her black gear.

Not really worried about all the eyes on her back, Emily unfurled a long black cloth and strung it up as a curtain before starting to change, Peter slipping behind the curtain and accepting his uniform gratefully. Slipping into her favoured outfit, Emily felt more like her true self and let go of the lies, slipping back into her true mindset and preparing for the long haul of close quarters with Knight.  
'What's going on down here?' Hogan asked, coming down the ladder.  
'Be right with you Gov'nor.' Peter replied, doing up his fly and pulling on his shirt quickly.  
'Just hang on a minute.' Emily added, digging two fresh pairs of socks from her kit and handing one to Peter before pulling on the other pair and lacing up her boots.

Decent again, the curtain came down and Hogan smiled, realising what the pair were up to this time. Walking closer to them, he circled them slowly, wanting to be absolutely certain that there were no more tricks. Rolling her eyes, Emily ripped her shirt off again, all eyes in the room falling to her breasts exactly as expected.  
'Satisfied Colonel?' she asked, pulling her shirt on again.  
'I was just making sure. Your Newkirk impersonation these last nine weeks has been absolutely flawless.' Hogan replied, still left reeling by some of the things Emily did.  
'Cor, blimey Emily. You don't do anything by 'alves, do ya?' Newkirk asked, finally recovering from his shock over Emily's actions.  
'Thanks Hogan. My life has been saved on many occasions because I am so good at hiding my identity. As for doing anything by halves, I wouldn't dream of it Peter. I live my life day by day, never regretting anything. There's no room in my life for regretting something I might have done in the past. I do what has to be done and keep moving forward.' Emily shrugged, fishing out a pack of cigarettes and shoving them in her pocket.  
'So what happens now Emily?' Carter asked, Belinda comfortably draped over his arm as she slept.  
'Nothing really changes Andrew. I'll still be around, making a home in the tunnels below. Whenever you need me, I'll be right here waiting.' Emily shrugged, holstering her pistols with a flourish.  
'I thought for sure you'd leave Emily.'  
'Not a chance Andrew. I'm here for the long haul, whatever the Colonel needs.'  
'I'm not sure we'll have a lot of use for you now Emily. I'll have to see what London says.'  
'Hogan, you can't ask London. How are you going to explain me away? I'm not even from this battle, remember.'  
'What would you suggest then Emily?'  
'Let me stay on, I'll help out where I can. It's probably time the forest sniper came back and not just during the night. My German is flawless, hand me a uniform and I'll fool everyone. You've seen what I'm capable of, why get rid of such an asset.'  
'Well, I won't deny that you have been a great help Emily.' Hogan allowed, deep in thought. 'Alright, you can stick around. The forest sniper distraction is a good one to have and an extra body for missions would be an advantage.'  
'What about us Colonel?' Aloysius asked, looking up at Rufus for a moment.  
'You both stand out too much among the general population of the area. For now make yourselves at home in the tunnels and I'll see what I can come up with.'  
'I don't suppose you have one long loop tunnel? I was never given a full rundown on the network you've dug.' Emily remarked, knowing she'd need just one thing to be satisfied with her new living arrangement.  
'No, the best we have is the connecting tunnel circling under the barracks.'  
'That's shorter than I might have liked but it'll do in a pinch. Don't mind me using it fairly regularly, do you?'  
'Of course not Emily but I don't get what you're talking about.'  
'I don't do well with confinement but if I've got a running track and a few other things to do, I'll be alright. Gotta keep busy or I go stir crazy when confined.'  
'Alright, you can use the tunnels for a running track. Just try not to run anyone over.'  
'I can agree with that Colonel. My needs are simple enough and you just finished the checklist.'  
'Glad I could help Emily. Now everybody out, let the lovebirds have a few moments before Newkirk's needed up top.' Hogan guided, ushering Carter up the ladder.

Looking up at Peter, Emily smiled faintly and opened her arms, welcoming him in close again and sighing softly. Still amazed by how right it felt to hold Emily like this, Peter inhaled her slightly spicy fragrance and nuzzled her neck, not ready to let go. Eyes closing happily, Emily kissed his neck and relaxed into him, just grateful she'd found someone she could trust so much.  
'I'll come check on you later and maybe LeBeau will organise a nice little dinner-for-two.' he offered, cradling Emily's head in one hand.  
'I'd like that Peter. Don't worry about me too much, I'll be warm enough down here.'  
'If you stay in this main area, you'll get some 'eat from above.'  
'I've got two big, fluffy blankets I can use if I get cold. They might have bad breath but I still love them both.'  
'Of course, your dear boys. So long as you're sure you'll be okay.'  
'I'll be fine Peter, life in the barracks is soft compared to what I'm used to. I will be fine, you don't have to worry about me Peter.'  
'I'll always worry about you Emily. When you first arrived in my life, I 'ad no idea what to expect from a woman who looked like she could take on the krauts alone. But now I know the truth, you're a young woman who really needs someone to see beyond that 'ard shell to the kind, compassionate woman underneath. You're not as 'ard as you lead people to believe, I can see that now.'  
'I blame you for that Peter. You slipped under my armour and settled in my heart like you've always been there. I couldn't fight you, it just felt so right to have someone there. I'm relaxing more and feeling lighter, and it's all thanks to you. My life is brighter because of you and for that I'm grateful.'

For a few precious moments the war was forgotten, the happy couple relaxing and remembering the little things as they stood there together and shared a loving kiss. For a few beautiful minutes nothing else existed for either of them, their lives shrinking down to just them and this golden memory. Drawing away reluctantly, Emily touched Peter's cheek and smiled softly, a lone tear catching in her eyelashes as she gazed at her beloved.  
'Go Peter, you'll be needed for another mission.' she uttered, settling his cap on his head.  
'I'll be back later.' Peter promised, lowering his arms and turning for the stairs.  
'Here, take this with you. Hide it somewhere safe. If you need to speak with me and I'm running laps, use the radio.' she grinned, pressing a small earpiece into his hand.  
''ow do I use this thing?'  
'Tuck it in your ear just like this and press the button when you want to speak. It's just like a walkie talkie, only a lot smaller.'  
'Thanks beautiful.' Peter winked, shoving the radio headset in his pocket and disappearing up top. Adjusting her own headset, Emily turned and jogged down the tunnel contentedly, looking forward to stretching out and burning off her building aggression.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Pounding along steadily, Emily was quite surprised when Aloysius swung into place beside her, forced to do this funny little half-step to keep up with her distance eating stride.  
'So this is why I can never catch you in a ground chace.'  
'This is only slow Aloysius, just burning off some steam.'  
'You've got a good running stride. Fast paced with minimal energy consumption.'  
'Left over from my time in the Marines. My captain was determined that I'd go far.'  
'Guess he was wrong on that aspect.'  
'Not really. I still went far, just in a different direction.'  
'I know a few Marines, any chance I might know your old captain?'  
'Yeah, you know him. Remember that big hunt a few years back, 18.6 mil per head, fifteen heads total?'  
'Of course I remember it, went through hell and still came out short.'  
'Running with the Scarecrow will do that. I should know, ran with him for a few years.'  
'You're talking about Shane M. Schofield, right?'  
'There's only one Scarecrow, you should know that Aloysius.'  
'I just never thought he'd be connected to you.'  
'When you get back to where we belong, ask Mother about me, she'll tell you the truth.'  
'If we ever make it out of this place.'  
'I promise you, if there's a way home, I'll make sure you two make the jump.'  
'But what about you Emily?'  
'I've got a new home now Aloysius. It wouldn't be fair to drag Peter into our little war, he's suffered enough. When this is all over, I'm hoping to stay on with him and start over.'  
'Aren't you worried about messing up your timeline in the future?'  
'By the time the timeline returns to 2007, I'll probably be dead if I stay. No conflict there.'  
'And all your gear waiting for your return?'  
'Why do you care if I choose to stay with Peter?'

Looking away quickly, Aloysius carefully considered his answer. He knew the truth of the matter and just why he didn't want to see Emily left behind but he couldn't bring himself to admit the real reason for his question. Thinking fast, he came up with a suitable answer that wouldn't raise suspicion from the younger woman.  
'I'd hate to lose such a close competitor Emily. Face it, we might not get along but we keep each other on our toes. You give Rufus a real challenge in the air, a challenge he enjoys every time he gets a chance to try his luck against you.'  
'Well, I won't deny that flying against Rufus is always interesting. And getting into it with you is always surprising. But don't you ever get tired of the same threats between us. You threaten to put a bullstopper between my eyes. I promise to put my Armageddon in your back. You swear Rufus will shoot me down. I counter that with my own missile threats. Don't you ever get tired of the same rubbish every time we face off?'  
'I won't deny that it is getting a bit repetitive now. We've been at it for six years, we've shot you down nine times now and you've put us down seven times.'  
'I've got eleven scars I can attribute to you and you've got ten from me, right?'  
'Sounds about right. Rufus has a couple from you as well, mainly crash related.'  
'I can blame this one here on him. Got cut up by flying canopy glass.' Emily nodded, pulling her collar aside to reveal a thick scar over her right shoulder.  
'Oohh, looks painful.'  
'One of the few times I've needed someone else to stitch me up after an accident.'  
'I still think it'll be a shame to lose you Emily, you're one hell of a competitor. There is no one else that keeps us so alert on a hunt.'  
'You'll find someone else Aloysius, I'm not that irreplaceable. There are plenty of up and coming hunters in the game.'  
'You know the attrition rate Emily.'  
'So look at training someone. Take a rookie under your wing, teach them a few things to help them over the first year hump then let them go on their own. They'll soon figure out the right way to hunt.'  
'An apprentice? Now I know you've lost your mind Emily. Our industry is no place for a rookie anyway, running with the best is a sure fire way to cop a bullet.'  
'Just a suggestion Aloysius, it'd be one way for you to get some decent competition if I don't go back.'  
'So you might go back?'  
'If I can take Peter with me and he agrees to make the jump, sure I'd go. Whichever way it goes, one of us will have a steep learning curve ahead.'  
'But you're adamant that we go back.'  
'You don't belong here Aloysius, you've still got work to do back home. The ICG is still running riot, you know that. You might have gotten Brandeis at last but the problem remains.'  
'You just had to mention that slug, didn't you? I still think about my wife and baby, or didn't you know about that.'  
'I knew, it was in your file. I'm sorry for your loss.'  
'Thanks Emily.'

Falling quiet again, they swept around another corner and moved aside for Carter, slowly growing more comfortable in such close quarters. They were both still having trouble getting along but for the sake of the lives above their heads, they knew they had to behave and try to get along. They kept their distance normally but today had drawn them close, two lost souls looking for the comfort of a familiar conversation.  
'I'm surprised you're not still hanging with Rufus, never see you two apart really.'  
'I invited him out for a jog but he was more interested in some book he'd borrowed from Colonel Hogan. Let's face it, these tunnels aren't quite built with him in mind.'  
'There might be a way around that. We'll have to talk with Colonel Hogan.'  
'What are you thinking Emily?'  
'I've been taught a lot about this operation here. With the right documentation and a new uniform, we might be able fool Klink into believing you two were actually shot down, captured and imprisoned here for real. That will give you both a bit more freedom of movement topside.'  
'You're always thinking about us Emily, what about you?'  
'I'm more use out of sight. Apart from the obvious fact I'm a woman, I can cause twice the trouble if I'm not restrained by the regulations of camp life. We could always work on just getting Rufus into the camp proper, the two of us can survive down here comfortably enough. It's not the Ritz but we'll adjust.'  
'Well we have the head room here needed to be comfortable. Should I go speak with Hogan or what?'  
'Leave it with me Aloysius, I've got the in with Hogan. He's still a little dirty about what you did to Peter.'  
'Yeah, I'll admit that might have been stupid. I guess I was just feeling a little off balance. I still don't feel quite right here, this place is getting to me a bit.'  
'Yeah, I can agree with that. This place is depressing, but at least we're doing something good for others.'  
'I had no idea you cared so much for the welfare of others Emily. You never struck me as the type to care that much.'  
'Didn't used to but I've witnessed the way Hogan's men work to get other pilots out into the war again and I understand. Life can't be all about personal advantage, helping others is a vital part too.'  
'I never really thought about it that way.'  
'Sure you have Knight, you wouldn't still be hanging with Rufus if you didn't believe in helping others.'  
'You got me there Hunter.'  
"Emily are you there?"

Chuckling softly, Emily adjusted her radio headset and signalled for Aloysius as she drew his attention to the small headset tucked over her ear.  
"Emily, can you hear me?"  
'Go ahead Peter, I'm here.'  
"Where are you at the moment?"  
'Half way along tunnel 2. I'll be done with my run in about fifteen minutes.'  
"Good, Colonel Hogan wants to speak with you."  
'What a coincidence, I need to speak with him.'  
"Shall I pass the headset to him for you to chat?"  
'That'll work Peter.'  
"One moment."  
"Hogan here."  
'You wanted to speak with me Colonel?'  
"Yes Emily. I'm going to need the forest sniper to cause a bit of chaos tonight."  
'You've got it Colonel. Just give me a signal and the location you want me shooting from.'  
"I'll talk to you in person closer to the needed time."  
'Whatever you need Colonel. There's something I've been wanting to ask you as well.'  
"Go ahead Emily, what's on your mind?"  
'It's about Rufus. I think it's time we came up with a new solution to house him comfortably. The tunnels aren't right for him, he's stuck in the holding room until we come up with a plan.'  
"What's your plan Emily?"  
'Well, if a couple of Gestapo officers were to escort Rufus into camp, Klink would have no say in it.'  
"You mean Rufus and Aloysius?"  
'No Colonel, just Rufus. Aloysius and I can live contentedly under the ground, the tunnels are perfect size for us. Rufus is taller, he's seriously cramped below.'  
"Okay, I'm liking your plan so far Emily. When do you think we should do it?"  
'As soon as possible, he'll be happier up top where he'll have space to move around. I'll even volunteer to wear one Gestapo uniform, it'll give me a chance to practise my German.'  
"Alright, I'll let you take one uniform and send Newkirk in the other. We'll do it tomorrow, right after morning roll call."  
'Won't work with Peter, Klink will call a formation to welcome the new pilot in. Aloysius and I can handle it, don't stress.'  
"Klink will notice Aloysius' glasses, he's not blind."  
'One moment Colonel.' Emily sighed, pinching her mic between her fingers and glancing at Aloysius. 'Reckon you could handle a couple hours without your glasses?'  
'Why would I want to do that?'  
'Slip into a Gestapo uniform and escort Rufus into camp. It's the only way we'll get him out of the tunnels and safely into the barracks with no one the wiser.'  
'So long as I don't have to say anything, I might just be able to handle it Emily. It's not going to be easy but I'll get it done.'  
'I'll handle it Aloysius.' Emily nodded, patting his shoulder. 'Colonel Hogan, Aloysius is confident he can pull this off without his glasses. It won't be easy on him but it's doable if I take the lead.'  
"It's a plan then Emily. I'll have Newkirk make up the documents for Rufus, I just need some details."  
'Rufus is still in the holding area, Peter can ask whatever needs to be known. We'll head back that way to give him the news.'  
"Copy that Emily, I'll send Newkirk down to make a start on the paperwork."  
'Understood Colonel. We're swinging around to rendezvous at the holding area.' Emily nodded, spinning around and picking up the pace.  
'Right behind you Emily.' Aloysius grinned, charging after Emily.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Going over their orders again, Emily and Aloysius donned their new uniforms and made sure they would pass even the closest inspection. Aloysius was going to wear his glasses right up until they were almost to the front gates of the camp, then hide them inside his jacket and battle through what would hopefully be a quick transfer. Emily had dosed him up with a mild painkiller, hoping to reduce the pain to just a discomfort and extend the time Aloysius could handle the light. Rufus had also gotten a new uniform from Newkirk, trading in his modern flight suit for one more era appropriate. A quick haircut and a shave finished the look, turning him from scruffy hunt pilot to a standard American pilot for the time. He'd also accepted a beating from his companions, further selling the story that he'd been interrogated by the Gestapo.

Checking their orders were secure in her pocket, Emily picked up her cap and looked at it for a moment before slipping it on. Turning to the table at her right, she grabbed the handcuffs waiting there and hooked them through her belt, planning to use them once they were out of the tunnel and in the truck.  
'Everything ready down here?' Hogan asked, wandering down the tunnel.  
'Awaiting orders Herr Colonel.' Emily replied, switching seamlessly to her German accent.  
'Can we just go over this one last time?' Rufus asked, adjusting his wool lined cap.  
'The only detail that's changed is your year of birth. You are Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie, born 15th May 1907. You're a bomber pilot, shot down near here. The rest of your crew was killed in the crash. You've been in Gestapo custody for the last week, but have managed to stick to the name, rank and serial number routine.' Aloysius coached, glancing at Emily to make sure he had the story straight.  
'Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie, USAAC, 9475480.'  
'Keep it up Rufus, you're doing great.' Emily praised, confident they could pull this deception off easily.  
'Thanks Emily. I'll make you proud Boss, I know I will.'  
'You already have Rufus. You're taking a huge risk here, you don't have to do this.' Aloysius nodded, squeezing Rufus' shoulder lightly.  
'I'll be okay Boss, don't worry. This is for the best.'  
'Alright, get a move on guys. The underground will provide a truck, they'll be waiting for you by the road here in ten minutes.' Hogan guided, indicating a spot on the map.  
'Mind your head Rufus.' Emily grinned, collecting the two leashes and collars the leatherwork team had made. 'Romus! Remus! Here boys!' she called, crouching and changing their old studded collars for standard German collars.

Making their way down the emergency tunnel quickly, Kinch checked the coast was clear before helping Emily get the dogs out of the tunnel. Climbing up and straightening her tunic, Emily switched both leashes into her right hand and took off into the forest, Rufus and Aloysius moving along behind her.  
'Are you absolutely sure you still want to go through with this Rufus? Once we reach the truck, there's no turning back.' Emily asked, looking up at the taller pilot beside her.  
'I'm sure Emily. I'll be safer in the barracks, more comfortable too.'  
'Alright buddy, if it's what you want to do. Colonel Hogan will run interference for you and try to keep you out of trouble. You'll have to work with him though and pitch in where you can.'  
'I will Emily. Colonel Hogan said he'd give me the run down on the operation once I'm in camp officially.'  
'Good, I'm sure you'll fit right in with the group. I've already told Peter to keep an eye on you, he'll teach you the ropes of living in Stalag-13. Pay attention to his lessons, he'll give you a big leg up into the life. He might even teach you a few things about playing cards.'  
'Sounds good to me Emily, thanks.'  
'Just looking out for a mate Rufus.'

Emerging from the forest bang on target, Emily ordered her dogs to sit and pulled out the cuffs, smiling faintly as Rufus calmly turned and offered forth his wrists. Apologising with her eyes, Emily locked the cuffs firmly around his wrists, aware that she couldn't go gentle on him just because they were friendly. Turning back to the truck, Rufus walked over and jumped up, taking a seat as Emily and Aloysius hoisted the dogs up and secured them where they'd be able to best keep an unruly prisoner under control.  
'We'll wait here for the truck when you're finished.' one of the underground men offered, moving back into the undergrowth to wait.  
'Thank you for your help.' Emily replied, climbing in behind the wheel. 'Hans, watch the prisoner.'  
'As ordered, Herr Colonel.' Aloysius nodded, climbing up and half turning to aim his borrowed rifle at Rufus.  
'Come on, as if the two dogs aren't enough incentive not to run you wanna shoot me too?' Rufus groused, easily playing his part.  
'Silence.' Emily growled, kicking the engine over and lurching onto the road.

Rumbling down the road, Emily went over the plan one last time and smoothed out her face, looking for all the world like just another bored Gestapo officer. She nudged Aloysius when the gates came into sight, watching him remove his glasses and tuck them out of sight in his jacket.  
'Now the real fun can begin.' he muttered, grateful for the pain shot now that he had to face his greatest challenge.  
'Stay cool, stay loose and stay sharp. We'll get through this.' Emily uttered, driving through the gates and pulling up beside the kommandantur. 'We won't be here long.'  
'What brings the Gestapo to Stalag-13 today?' Klink asked, hurrying out to meet them.  
'I am Colonel Deiter and this is Captain Dreizz. We have a new prisoner for you Colonel Klink. Our orders.' Emily replied, handing over the envelope before moving back to haul Rufus from the truck and untie the dogs.  
'Again with the bloody dogs. If I haven't run yet, I ain't going to.' Rufus sighed, grunting as Aloysius got him in the gut with the butt of his rifle.  
'Be silent prisoner.' Emily snapped, a fire in her eyes that had everyone backing away.  
'What is going on over here?' Hogan demanded, striding across to join the group.  
'Go back to your barracks Colonel Hogan, this prisoner is not yours yet.' Klink ordered, turning a stern look towards Hogan.  
'Remember Lieutenant, name, rank and serial number only.' Hogan advised, spinning around and going back to his barracks.  
'Yes Sir.' Rufus nodded, watching Hogan leave and squaring his shoulders as Emily unlocked his wrists.  
'move.' she growled, shoving Rufus in the back and herding him into the kommandantur.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Watching as Rufus strode from the kommandantur behind Schultz, Hogan pushed off the wall where he was waiting and walked over to meet them. They all caught the Gestapo leaving out the corner of their eyes and relaxed fractionally, glad to see their friends had gotten away cleanly.  
'Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie, he's been assigned to your barracks.' Schultz offered, looking up at the tall American.  
'Welcome to Stalag-13 Lieutenant.' Hogan greeted, extending his hand.  
'Thanks Colonel. The commandant got nothing out of me.'  
'Good to hear Rufus. I take it you're no fighter pilot.'  
'Got me there Colonel, bombers are my forte. Tried out for fighters but they just don't make 'em that big.'  
'You'll have to get used to cramped quarters around here Rufus, all the bunks are the same size. Come on in and I'll introduce you to the gang.' Hogan chuckled, opening the door. 'Heads up, we got a new man in the barracks.' he called, turning to look as a loud thud rang out behind him.  
'God fuckin' damnit!' Rufus groaned, both palms pressed to his forehead.  
'You alright mon ami?' LeBeau asked, guiding Rufus to the table in the middle of the barracks.  
'Bloody low doors. Have this problem every where I go.' Rufus nodded, lifting his head slowly.  
'Well you're not bleeding so it can't be that bad.' Hogan grinned, squeezing his shoulder lightly. 'Just remember to keep your head down.'  
'Thanks Colonel. Talk about a headache.'  
''ere mate, fresh coffee.' Newkirk offered, setting out a mug and pouring the cheap swill that pretended to be coffee.  
'Thanks mate. Name's Rufus McKenzie.' Rufus nodded, offering his hand even as he picked up his coffee.  
'Peter Newkirk, welcome to Stalag-13.' Peter replied, shaking his hand warmly.  
'Watch this one, he's a real card shark.' Kinch warned, plopping down on Rufus' other side.  
'Ah, lay off Kinch. Give the bloke a chance to settle.' Newkirk sighed, shaking his head slowly.  
'Sergeant James Kinchloe, nice to meet you.' Kinch continued, extending his hand.  
'Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie. Though I figure ranks don't matter so much around here.'  
'Not really. We all follow Colonel Hogan, apart from that we're pretty informal. I'm called Kinch usually.'  
'I'll remember that Kinch.' Rufus grinned, looking up when Carter dropped down opposite him.  
'Sergeant Andrew Carter, welcome to the gang.'  
'Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie, thanks. I thought this place was going to be dull but I reckon I might be wrong there.' Rufus grinned, rubbing his forehead lightly where a nice little egg was growing. 'You might just have met your match at cards Newkirk, I play a mean hand of poker.'  
'We'll see Rufus, we'll see.'  
'You've got a choice of bunks Rufus, those two are free.' Carter continued, pointing to a pair down the far end of the barracks.  
'Thanks Carter. I'd probably be safer on the floor though.'  
'You'll take a bunk Lieutenant.'  
'Bottom bunk then, Colonel, I might be okay there. I'll probably still wind up with another concussion, can't seem to avoid them.'  
'We don't usually get blokes your 'eight round these parts.' Newkirk remarked, picking up the cards on the table and shuffling them idly.  
'Tell me about it, I'm a bit of a stand out everywhere I go. Gave the Gestapo a fright when I was first dragged in front of them. They must have thought I'd be a pushover but boy did they get a surprise.'  
'Looks like they gave you a fair going over though Rufus.' LeBeau remarked, refilling his mug and settling at the table.  
'They certainly tried to pump me for information but they got nothing from me, no matter what. I copped worse beatings from my siblings.' Rufus chuckled, sipping his coffee and rolling his shoulders.  
'So you're a family man?' Newkirk asked, fascinated to be learning more about the man joining them for their fun.  
'Third child of seven, my parents always wanted a big family.'  
'Seven kids? Blimey that's a decent family you've got Rufus.'  
'Five boys and two girls. My sisters are no weaklings, they give as good as they get from all of us.'  
'Seeing as you are settling in so well, I will take my leave.' Schultz cut in, patting Rufus on the shoulder before turning and leaving the barracks, the door clattering behind him.

Getting to his feet, Rufus wandered over to the emergency tunnel entrance and dropped the ladder, smile widening when Aloysius popped his head up.  
'All settled in then buddy?' he asked, looking around the barracks slowly.  
'Nothing to it Boss. None of the krauts questioned anything.'  
'Well done buddy. Keep up the great work and we'll get through this without too much trouble.'  
'I'll be okay now Boss, don't worry. You focus on your side of the mission and I'll handle mine.'  
'Emily and I were just about to slip out and spend a little while sniping over the camp, just to mix things up.'  
'I'll probably stay inside and take a nap, seems like a fairly normal thing to do.'  
'Alright Rufus, I'll talk to you a bit later.' Aloysius nodded, climbing back down and closing the entrance.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Sitting down for dinner that night, Rufus felt better than he had in years, surrounded by people who accepted him and didn't care if he was a little different, they liked him for who he was. He didn't have to prove anything, he was welcome and safe. No more bullies to worry about, no more nurses causing trouble and no one trying to kill him, it was perfect as far as he was concerned.  
'Rufus, hand your bowl back here.' LeBeau grinned, tipping his pot and running the ladle around the dregs.  
'Thanks LeBeau.' he replied, reaching behind Newkirk for the last drops from the pot.  
'Big man, big appetite. I'll have to start making extra I think.'  
'No need to go to any trouble mate, I don't want to be a bother.'  
'It's no bother, I enjoy cooking.'  
'You do well with minimal gear, I'll give you that LeBeau.'  
'Merci Rufus.'  
'Haven't eaten like this since I was back home with my family. My mother made the best stews in the world.'  
'You haven't tried some of LeBeau's offerings yet.' Newkirk remarked, sipping his coffee and going back to his meal.  
'Don't tell me you make Irish stew as well.'  
'Do not insult me Rufus, I cook only the finest of French dishes.'  
'Shoulda seen that coming. Guess I'll just have to keep dreaming of mom's rich Irish stew.'


	6. Hold That Tiger!

Freezing his ass off as he stood outside with his barracks mates, Rufus had to keep stepping on dreams of wringing Klink's neck, lest he get into any trouble and face a charming stint in the cooler. He'd avoided it so far, despite his antics and really didn't want to get in there if Newkirk's explanation was anything to go by.  
'Prisoners! From time to time, as Kommandant of Stalag 13, out of my own free will I bring you news of the war, of which you are no longer a part. Things continue to go well for the all-victorious Third Reich. Yes, I know you would wish it otherwise but it is necessary for you to look at the facts. New and powerful weapons continue to pour from our factories. I have just returned from a nearby Panzer division completely equipped with the new and secret Tiger Tanks which will crush all resistance like egg shells.'  
'That'll be the day.' Rufus called, the benefit of his knowledge helping to put true belief behind his words.  
'The Allies would love to get their hands on one, believe me. However, you as prisoners must look upon the new weapon of the invincible Third Reich as another guarantee that soon the war will be over. Dismissed.'  
'Keep talking Klink and one day you might actually believe it.' Rufus muttered, turning and heading back inside.  
'Colonel Klink.'  
'Yes, Colonel Hogan.'  
'This Panzer division with the new Tiger Tanks, aren't they just west of here?'  
'North. What's that to you?'  
'Just asking.'

Rolling his eyes at the less than innocent line of questioning from Hogan, Rufus had a feeling he could guess what was going on and he had to smirk, it was bound to be very interesting.  
'Tell me you're not thinking of trying to pinch a tank Colonel.' he remarked, catching the glint in Hogan's eye.  
'That's the idea Rufus, reckon we can?'  
'Steal a German tank?' Newkirk asked, used to crazy ideas but this was going a little too far.  
'We'll give it back, after we take it apart and make blueprints of it.'  
'How do we get a hold of it?'  
'How do we get it in here?'  
'Where are we gonna hide it?'  
'Where do we take it apart?'  
'Look, I got the idea of stealing it, right? The rest is detail.'  
'We can always see if Emily's got any bright ideas, she's a sneaky thing.' Rufus suggested, settling on his bunk and turning the idea over in his mind.  
'I still can't believe you're going to go along with this crazy plan Rufus.' Newkirk remarked, watching the bigger man closely.  
'Newkirk, I know a few things about this war that you don't. Benefits of hindsight from my timeline.'  
'Things like what?'  
'Apart from the krauts losing again? Give it another couple years and this will all be behind us.'  
'You know when this war will end?' Kinch asked, latching onto the conversation.  
'1945 but can't be specific on when we might get out.'  
'Alright Rufus, that's enough of that. Keep your secrets to yourself.'  
'Yes Colonel.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Working with the rest of the crew to rig the far wall on hinges, Rufus had to grin at the antics of the group and was grateful all over again that he'd wound up in such a great camp. Emily and Aloysius were up helping as well, keeping a low profile and ready to make a dive for cover if Carter gave the word.  
'I've 'eard some crazy plans Gov'nor but this takes the cake.' Emily mused, looking up from where she was working on Newkirk's uniform so he could get the tank.  
'We'll pull it off so just stop worrying.'  
'Guard coming.'  
'Okay, fellows. Knock it off.'  
'Come on Knight, that's our cue.' Emily grinned, shooting into Hogan's office as Aloysius leapt into the tunnel and closed the bunk.  
'Get that ladder out of here.'  
'As you were. It's only Schultz.'  
'Okay. Get back to work. Rufus, tell the others to stay down.'  
'Got it Colonel.' Rufus nodded, pacing across the floor and tapping his boot just over the tunnel.  
'Make it fast. We haven't much time.'

Moving back to the bunks nearest the construction work, Rufus got Kinch up on his shoulders and supported him as he got busy again, everyone working hard to make the final preparations for their job.  
'What is what is what is what?'  
'Remodelling, Schultz. We're going to take out that wall and put in a picture window. That'll give us a sweeping vista to the delousing station. We're going to replace this stuff with some Danish modern. What would you think of Provincial?'  
'Please, Colonel Hogan.'  
'Schultz, how else do we get the tank in?'  
'Tank?'  
'So we can take it apart.'  
'Oh, no. I don't see anything. I hear nothing.'  
'Sergeant! What is your namen?'  
'Way to go Newkirk.' Rufus muttered, gripping Kinch's ankles as he reached up to hammer in another nail.  
'Schultz. I have uncovered a plot to…'  
'And that is why you hear nothing and you see nothing.'  
'This is a speech problem. I sometimes speak I say things I do not know what I say.'  
'He's right Lieutenant Newkirk. I urge leniency for this man on the grounds of general incompetence.'  
'That's right, Herr Newkirk. Well, sometimes my wife even says…Newkirk?'  
'How'd you like me accent?'  
'That was great. LeBeau, you want to put some padding in those shoulders?'  
'Aye sir.'  
'All right.'  
'What a relief. If the Gestapo would uncover what's going on around here…Colonel Hogan, what is he doing in a uniform? Colonel Hogan, please. Oh, you went too far. I must report this. It would be worth my life if I do not report this.'  
'It's only until tomorrow, and then he's going to take it off again. After he steals the tank. From the Panzer division. And brings it here into the barracks.'  
'I see nothing. I was not here. I did not even get up this morning.'

Sniggering once Schultz left, Rufus shook his head in wonder and crouched to let Kinch off his shoulders as Aloysius climbed back up to the barracks.  
'Alright Newkirk, you almost ready?'  
'Just about Gov'nor, just fitting the last padding.' Newkirk replied, striding out of Hogan's office and taking a seat at the table.  
'Almost done Peter, just doing the last stitches now.' Emily added, wandering out a few minutes later and helping Newkirk into his jacket.  
'Good. Got your replacement uniform ready to go Emily?'  
'In your office Gov'nor. I'll stash the unneeded gear under your bunks.'  
'Perfect. I'll head over and get Klink softened up for your escape Newkirk. Give me five minutes from the time I enter Klink's office then head for the gate.'  
'Got it Gov'nor.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Greatcoat draped over her shoulder, Emily glanced up at Rufus as they listened to the briefing and winked, adjusting Peter's cap as she paid close attention to the plan being laid out.  
'Newkirk then enters with the Tiger Tank to here. LeBeau, you go through the fence here to rendezvous with the agent who'll later carry out the blueprints. Rendezvous point being up here.'  
'Usual procedure, Colonel?'  
'Usual procedure. You change clothes with the agent. Who then, posing as you, will be captured by the guards. Incidentally, Kinch has made radio contact with the people sending the agent.'  
'Code name Tiger. Part of Operation Tiger.'  
'Right. Thirty-five seconds after Newkirk enters the alarm will be sounded for your escape, LeBeau. Under cover of the search, Newkirk will bring the tank around to here.'

Pulling on her greatcoat when an alarm rang out over the camp, Emily slipped back into her Newkirk mindset and fished out a cigarette, lighting up and dropping her gaze.  
'Roll call, Colonel.'  
'It's 31 seconds early. Why can't these Germans learn to be methodical?'  
'Can't trust the krauts with anything Gov'nor.' Emily smirked, opening the door.  
'All right. Let's go.'  
'Raus! Out! Everybody raus! Roll call. Everybody raus, raus, raus.'  
'Beautiful evening, isn't it Schultz?'  
'Can we 'urry this up, it's bleeding cold out 'ere Schultzie.' Emily groused, hunched up against the cold and waiting for her next signal.

Listening to the count and making sure LeBeau had his escape corridor open, Emily and Rufus both grinned faintly and hoped Aloysius was in position for his roll with their latest stunt.  
'Report! Schultz, report!'  
'Herr Kommandant, I have to make a report. As a matter of fact…'  
'Schultz! I do not want a social chat. I want a report.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant. I…'  
'What the 'ell is that sound?' Emily asked, cocking her head as the rumble of Newkirk's pilfered tank echoed across camp. Taking advantage of the distraction, LeBeau slipped past Emily and broke for the wire, snagging the torch Emily was hiding as he ran.  
'Herr Kommandant, a Tiger Tank is here.'

Admiring the design without seeming to, Emily had to admit that it was a very imposing looking thing but not quite up to her standards for military hardware. That was only to be expected but still, she wasn't interested in getting behind the controls.  
'Who is Kommandant Klink?' Newkirk asked, scanning the gathering. 'Heil Hitler.'  
'Heil. I…'  
'Well, where are these rebellious prisoners? The Tiger Tank will smash them, flat like pancakes.'  
'Rebellious prisoners? There are no rebellious prisoners here. They're tame. I've tamed them.'  
'Then why did you request the tank?'  
'I did not.'  
'You question the word of a Gestapo officer?'  
'Certainly not.'  
'Here are my orders.'  
'My god, we've created a monster.' Emily muttered, much to Rufus' amusement.

With Klink distracted, Newkirk caught Emily's eye and winked, his cocky little grin coming to the surface for a moment before fading away again.  
'They are certainly authentic.'  
'There could be any doubt?'  
'Not a doubt in the world.'  
'Sir, request permission to speak.'  
'No! Yes.'  
'I regret to inform you, Sir, one of my men seems to have escaped.'  
'Escaped?'  
'He received a letter from home today. His girl sent him a candid snapshot.'  
'So these are your tamed prisoners?'  
'No one has ever escaped from Stalag 13. Sound the alarm. Let loose the dogs. All guards turn out for the search. All prisoners into the barracks. I assure you, Sir, I…'  
'It is lucky for you, Klink, that I am here.'  
'Back, back, back, everybody back.'  
'Exciting, isn't it Schultz?'

Sneaking out of the barracks once Schultz's back was turned, Emily climbed up the side and disappeared into the tank. Squeezing into the second driver's seat, she sat back and relaxed as Peter steered the tank around and into the barracks.  
'All I wanted was an oil change.' Peter sighed, removing his helmet as he stood in the turret.  
'But this is so much more fun.' Emily chuckled, climbing down and heading to get changed before getting stuck into the job at hand.  
'You have a very twisted idea of fun Emily.'  
'You love me for it Peter.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Back in her basic black gear, Emily enjoyed a few precious moment with Newkirk before she had to hide away again. They knew the risks, sure, but it was worth it to enjoy a brief cuddle and a few minutes to talk.  
'Something's wrong outside. The search is still going on.'  
'They didn't find anybody?'  
'No, Sir. Not Tiger, not LeBeau, not anybody.'  
'Shh, someone's knocking at the entrance.' Emily whispered, getting up and giving the all clear signal at the bunks.

Climbing up quickly, LeBeau knew he was in trouble but he didn't know what else he could do in the situation. He had broken the number one rule by using the emergency entrance but he had no choice.  
'LeBeau, what are you doing here?'  
'Sorry, Colonel.'  
'Sorry? What happened? Didn't you meet Tiger?'  
'Yes, Sir, I did.'  
'What went wrong?'  
'It just wouldn't work out.'  
'Are you out of your mind? You know the orders. We don't use the outside entrance and this tunnel except in an emergency. The krauts find out what we've got underground, we've blown the whole ball game.'  
'I thought it was an emergency.'  
'You thought it was an emergency. Where's Tiger? Right behind you?'  
'Awaiting permission to come up, Sir.'  
'Tiger, come up here.'

The moment the new arrival in camp came into sight, Emily knew they were going to have trouble. Her suspicions were proven correct when Tiger lowered her hood to reveal a beautiful female face.  
'hello.' she greeted amid the catcalls of the men.  
'You're Tiger?'  
'Oui, Tiger.'  
'I don't bloody believe it.' Emily groaned, slapping her forehead in disbelief.  
'Hello.'  
'A changing of the clothes, Sir, just wouldn't work out.'  
'What's the matter with those people outside? Don't they know procedure?'  
'You're mad at me?'  
'Getting that way Tiger.' Emily growled, equally annoyed with Peter as he gazed at the pretty blonde.  
'This is no game. Guys risk their lives escaping from other camps. We sneak them in here. They depend on us to get them out of Germany. Our whole operation could go down the drain just because they sent us a woman.'  
'I have had many more missions more dangerous than this. And they did not send me. I volunteered.'  
'All right, so you're Mata Hari. But this is an all-male camp. Just where for instance, do we put you up?'  
'In the spirit of 'ands across the sea, and all that, I 'ereby volunteer to share my cubicle.'

Before anyone could move, Emily had spun around and slapped Newkirk hard across the face and knocked him to the ground before turning to Tiger again and pointing back down the tunnel.  
'You're bunking with me Tiger, no ifs ands or buts about it. Now get back down the tunnel.' she instructed, climbing down without a backwards glance.  
'Thank you Emily.' Hogan uttered, watching Tiger leave as Newkirk sat up.  
'What the bloody 'ell was that for?' he asked, rubbing his stinging cheek lightly.  
'Making a pass at Tiger while Emily's watching. You know she likes you, why do something that stupid Newkirk?' Hogan asked, turning and heading back to his office.

Hurrying down the tunnel, Emily shouldered past Aloysius and broke into a blind sprint, not really caring where she went, so long as she could be alone.  
'Whoa, what's going on here?' Aloysius asked, watching Emily run down the tunnel.  
'I do not know but can you show me to my room?'  
'I saw you earlier, LeBeau brought you in. There's a spare bunk in here, it's not much but it'll do you until we can get you out of here again.' Aloysius guided, showing Tiger into a smaller offshoot tunnel lined with simple bunk rooms.  
'Oui, I am Tiger.' she nodded, looking around at the simple accommodations.  
'Hey Aloysius, did you see which way Emily went? I need to apologise to 'er.' Newkirk asked, making his way along the tunnel, a dazzling red handprint decorating his right cheek.  
'Emily did that I take it?' Aloysius sighed, indicating the handprint.  
'Yeah, I made a mistake. Got a little distracted by Tiger and said the wrong thing.'  
'Best advise, leave Emily be for a while. She was pretty upset when she went running past me just before. Give her some time to cool down before you try apologising.'  
'I 'ave to try Aloysius, you understand. I really do care about 'er, I just got distracted.'  
'Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. She's probably gone to sit with her dogs, she loves them more than anything else in the world.'  
'Thanks Aloysius.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Curling up between her dogs, Emily wept pitifully on the floor, face hidden in her knees. Whimpering softly, Romus and Remus pressed closer and tried to offer comfort but Emily was inconsolable as she sat there. Shoulders heaving, she wondered where she'd gone wrong to turn Peter away from her after all she'd done to show she loved him above all other men in camp.  
'Emily?' Peter's voice called softly, only increasing Emily's grief.  
'Go away Newkirk.' she growled, turning her face away. Picking up on the change in emotions, Romus stood and padded down the tunnel, snarling at Peter.  
'I'm sorry Emily, please don't cry.' he tried, hoping he still smelled enough like Emily to not get attacked. It didn't work though, he took a step forward and Romus lunged, teeth just barely missing his leg. Jumping back, Peter knelt and hung his head, trying to come up with a new way to get to Emily and apologise properly.

Hearing another soft sob in the close confines of the tunnel, Emily lifted her head slowly and sniffed pathetically, watching as the usually stoic Newkirk broke down, his spirit crushed by recent happenings.  
'I'm sorry Emily, I'm sorry. I've been in this place for so long, without a single thing to brighten me days. Then you came and it was like the sun came back to me, lifting the weight of depression and making things bearable. I care about you, I really do. I am not perfect, I know that. Please, I made a mistake Emily.' he uttered, sagging against the wall and hiding his face.  
'I trusted you with my scarred and broken heart, I placed it tenderly in your care and you dropped it for some pretty blonde. I put my life on the line for you, pretending to be you for nine terrifying weeks and you tossed me aside like it meant nothing. I could have died for you, I knew the risks but still I made the choice to go out and hide in plain sight.' Emily accused, hurt beyond words by Peter's actions.  
'I know Emily, it's killing me that I let you down. I'm pathetic, just like me father. He couldn't stay faithful to me mum, and now I'm doing the same. I'm sorry, I'm nothing but a 'eartbreaker.'

Stunned by that revelation, Emily could only stare as Peter wept quietly, blaming himself over and over again and muttering broken apologies. As much as his actions stung Emily, she loved him too much to let him compare himself to his cheating father. They weren't technically married and probably wouldn't get to that stage but that didn't make her feel any better. Coming to a decision, she stood and walked down the tunnel to sit beside Peter, gathering him close and stroking his hair lightly. He tensed up for a moment before relaxing, unable to fight the tears landing on Emily's shoulder.  
'You are not your father Peter, you are a good man. I have no claim to your heart, I am a stranger in this time, a woman without rights or a place to call my own. It hurts to know I'm not good enough but I can't even promise you a future together, I don't know what will happen. All I can promise you is my undying love and sweet memories to see you through.' she whispered, holding him close and kissing what skin she could reach.  
'I don't deserve you Emily.' Peter choked, lifting his head slowly and gazing at her. 'I don't deserve your forgiveness.'  
'Yes you do Peter, you deserve all the happiness you can get. Now hush, no more tears my dear man.' Emily soothed, wiping away his tears before drawing him into a kiss.  
'So you forgive me again Emily?' he asked, breaking the kiss.  
'I'll keep forgiving you Peter, so long as you keep coming back to me after every mistake. What's it going to take to prove you're a better man than your father?'  
'I don't know Emily.'  
'I think I might have an idea. Remus, go grab my sleeping roll from my kit.' Emily directed, turning her full attention back to Peter as Remus ran off.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Grateful for the high collar of his shirt, Peter worked on measuring up Tiger for her new uniform, struggling to keep his mind from going back to earlier activities with Emily.  
'I do hope I did not get you into too much trouble Peter.'  
'It's alright Tiger, Emily forgave my error.'  
'I am sorry for putting you in such a position.'  
'It's alright, Emily understands what I'm struggling with. She forgave easily enough.'  
'What's the matter Newkirk?'  
'The matter is, Colonel, that a gentleman's tailor is a gentleman's tailor and what we've got here is no gentleman. Uh, begging your pardon, Tiger.'  
'But of course.'  
'Do the best you can. We've got to get her out of here tonight looking like a German civilian. Some kind of a bulky uniform to carry these blueprints.'  
'Colonel, women work as crew on the German trains.'  
'I don't care if you put on a kimono and go as Tokyo Rose. Let's just ad-lib the whole thing.'  
'Why not? The worst that can happen to you is you get one week in solitary. All I can get is shot.'  
'Alright, alright, just have her ready by roll call tonight. The diversion is the tank coming out of the Rec Hall. Then you take off after that.'  
'I thought it was in pieces.'  
'It is in pieces. We're gonna put it back together again in the Rec Hall. After the Germans padlock the place.'  
'Sounds wild.'  
'The Colonel never misses. Everything under control. Always.'  
'Except his temper.'

Busy with his work, Newkirk didn't look up when Schultz wandered in and tipped his helmet to Tiger respectfully.  
'Colonel Hogan, please. Herr Kommandant wants you in his office. Quickly.'  
'Shh, Schultz won't say anything.' Peter soothed, getting Tiger back on her stool and continuing his work.  
'He's boiling over the escape that was not an escape. The guards were searching all night…'  
'Oops, I'll come back later.' Rufus uttered, disappearing out of sight again.  
'No, no.'  
'Tokyo Rose.'  
'Colonel Hogan, this time you went too far. What am I saying? I see nothing. Nothing.'  
'Rufus, get back here with that extra cloth.' Newkirk called, continuing to mark out the new uniform as Schultz left.  
'Right here Newkirk.' Rufus replied, entering the office and handing over the spare length of cloth.  
'Aright, go look through my stockpile of badges and patches for the German railway.'  
'On it Peter.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Standing in formation to cover for Newkirk, Emily couldn't wipe the smirk off her face when the tank exploded from the Rec Hall and started cruising around.  
'Now where did that come from?'  
'I see nothing. Nothing.'  
'I don't recall signing up for this sort of thing.' Rufus groused, keeping his distance from the driverless tank. Making use of the distraction, Emily turned and ran for the Rec Hall, disappearing inside without anyone noticing. Peter was already waiting for her, half way out of his blacks so they could switch places again. Skidding into the shadows, Emily undressed and handed Peter his uniform before pulling on her blacks and shooting into the waiting tunnel as Peter bolted out to join the chaos outside.

Avoiding the guards easily, Newkirk got into the thick of the chaos and joined in the fun, signalling Emily's safe escape without being obvious about it.  
'Anything happening?'  
'Nothing, Schultz. Just the dull, deadly routine of prison life.'  
'Oh, boy.'


	7. The Flight of The Valkyrie

Refusing to bite as LeBeau showed their newest guest to her quarters, Emily bit back a groan as realisation hit home. She still remembered the last time she'd had to deal with a woman in camp and really didn't want to argue with Peter again.  
'Emily, meet your new housemate, Lili.' LeBeau offered, smiling up at Emily as she put her knife away.  
'Colonel Hogan told me to expect company. Emily Hunter, secret rendezvous with the outside world.' Emily grinned, holding up her hands when Lili offered hers to shake. 'I won't shake, my hands are filthy.'  
'I take it Aloysius had good luck then Emily.' LeBeau remarked, eyeing the covered pot beside Emily.  
'He certainly did Louis. Nine good sized fish, all scaled, gutted, skinned, boned and filleted for you.' Emily nodded, lifting the lid so LeBeau could examine the catch.  
'This looks good Emily, very good. There is enough for my favourite fish stew and maybe some nice sautéed fish as well.'  
'I know Newkirk would appreciate the sautéed effort, fish stew gives him terrible gas.'  
'That was him the last time? Perhaps it would be wise to take the stew off the menu then.'  
'I think that would be a good idea.'  
'Very well, I'll pan fry the fish for a change.' LeBeau nodded, picking up the pan and heading for the ladder. 'Can you settle Lili in while I start preparing for dinner?'  
'Of course LeBeau, I'll just scrub up and dispose of the waste.' Emily replied, picking up the bucket and heading away from the entrance.  
'Might I come along Emily?'  
'Suit yourself Lili; so long as you stay below ground.'

Turning into a specially dug tunnel, Emily slid open the floor hatch and tipped the bucket into the waste hole before covering it up again and pouring fresh oil into a small clay jar sitting on the hatch.  
'The oil is scented, hides the rotten smell emanating from the rubbish pit. The last thing we want is the krauts smelling us out.'  
'In case you have not been told, I am German Emily.'  
'I'm aware Lili, don't worry. All Germans are krauts, no matter their story.'  
'That seems harsh.'  
'Harsh? Harsh is the fact I can't spend time with the love of my life because I'm stuck down here and he's living in the barracks above. I hold the Germans responsible for that, so excuse me if I disrespect your people. I live a hard life and won't change for anyone.'  
'I had no idea you were struggling like that Emily.'  
'I keep busy, he gets down here when he can but we're both having a hard time of it. Just do me one favour.'  
'Of course, what can I do?'  
'If you meet Peter Newkirk, leave him alone. He's a British prisoner, wears a blue uniform. Keep away from him, he's easily distracted by a pretty face and I don't want him getting any ideas.'  
'This Newkirk is your love?'  
'Yeah, so you see him and you walk away. I won't let him be distracted from his very important work.'  
'As you wish Emily.'  
'We might just get along after all Lili.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Slumped against the wall of the airplane building room, Emily was cursing the arrival of this new Colonel. He'd screwed up her plans for a nice evening meal for two in the holding room with Peter, but now that he was digging a pitiful escape tunnel, she'd been pushed aside. She really wanted to give Crittendon a piece of her mind but she couldn't so she'd been beating into the wall with her screw together baseball bat. Then she heard it, the unmistakeable scraping of digging.  
'Colonel.'  
'What is it Kinch?'  
'Listen.'  
'Digging?'  
'Sounds like it?'  
'Is it one of them?'  
'Worse, I think it's one of us.'  
'What will we do Colonel?'  
'Was he serious about turning us into the Germans?'  
'Very serious.'  
'We can't let him!'  
'We gotta stop him.'  
'Absolutely.'  
'Hold it. What you've got to realise is we're very limited to what we can do here. He's still in command here. We can't go against the articles of war.'  
'You might not be able to, but I don't have that barrier. Stand back lads, this is personal now.' Emily growled, getting to her feet and shifting her grip on her bat.  
'Once discipline breaks down, we're no better than a mob.'  
'Hello.'  
'Lights out asshole.' Emily snarled, letting off a spectacular swing. Her aim was perfect, catching Crittendon in the forehead and snapping his head up before he passed out.  
'Nice shot Emily.'  
'Thanks Kinch. Now what do we do with him?' Emily sighed, lowering her bat and turning back to Hogan.  
'I guess we pull him out and carry him back to the surface.' Hogan shrugged, starting to pull the opening out so they could drag Crittendon out.

Once he was out of the way, Newkirk wormed his way out and looked at the unconscious Colonel before standing and walking over to Emily. Taking in his dishevelled state, she chuckled and extinguished the stupid little torch he was wearing before removing the headlamp and handing it to LeBeau. Glancing down at the baseball bat in her hand, Peter took it and handed it to Kinch before pulling Emily into his arms and holding her close. Sighing softly, Emily threw her arms around her precious man and squeezed, just glad he was out of that narrow little tunnel.  
'Sorry about dinner luv. I'm not going to be able to get away.'  
'It's alright Peter; I know how dangerous it is right now. We'll get rid of Crittendon, and then we can have a wonderful romantic dinner for just the two of us.'  
'I'd like that, I'm sure you'll find something beautiful to wear.'  
'Be safe Peter, I'll be waiting for you always.'  
'And so long as I live, I'll keep coming back to you.'  
'I know Peter; my heart is yours to hold always.' Emily whispered, catching a loving kiss and letting the world disappear for a few precious moments.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Grateful for her chance to stretch out and get involved with the last work on the fighter for Lili's escape, Emily got stuck into the workload, checking the repairs and running a polishing cloth over the wings lovingly. Hunched over the nose of the plane, Rufus was finally free to show his softer side as he painted the new logo on the side of the side of the plane.  
'Beauty, huh, Schultz?'  
'Where's the orchestra?'  
'I'm talking about the aeroplane?'  
'What aeroplane?'  
'Kinch.'

Straightening up a little, Rufus admired his handiwork and nodded proudly as LeBeau stepped up to examine his work as well and give him any corrections.  
'All ready Colonel?'  
'Okay, Lili.'  
'This is too much. I must protest. Please, Colonel Hogan, my family. Did I tell you I'm the sole provider? You should see how they can eat. Please Colonel Hogan.'  
'Don't talk to me. Colonel Crittendon is the senior officer in charge.'  
'Where is he? Don't tell me.'  
'It's perfect Rufus, absolutely amazing. I had no idea you were such an artist.'  
'I've always had the talent for art, feels nice to be painting again.' Rufus shrugged, rinsing his brushes quickly.  
'We're all good to go.' Emily added, quickly slipping into her Newkirk persona so Schultz didn't catch her out even though she was wearing an imitation RAF uniform exactly the same as Newkirk's.

Planning things to the minute, she waited for everyone to be distracted by the leaving plane before bolting for the barracks and racing into the tunnel. Although the fake uniform made her less obvious, the risks of someone realising they had two Newkirk's running about was still quite high.  
'How'd it all go?' Aloysius asked, busy skinning a rabbit he'd caught for the pot.  
'Lili is safely away from camp and Crittendon is gone. Life goes on as normal for us all.' Emily grinned, slipping into her quarters to change back into her blacks.  
'I still can't believe you and Newkirk are an item, he seems like such a nice guy.'  
'Very funny Aloysius. Don't quit your day job.'  
'Wouldn't dream of it Emily. You don't think the idea of two Newkirk's running around the camp might be a bit obvious though.'  
'Don't see a name written on my uniform, I could be any RAF man. That's the fun of it, no one has a clue what's going on.'  
'Just so long as you don't get yourself shot Emily. That'd break Newkirk's heart. Doesn't take a genius to realise he's nuts about you.'  
'Goes both ways, I'll fight to keep him safe. I'm finally doing something good with my life, saving lives and helping people.'  
'The baseball bat was a nice trick. Saved a lot of lives there.'  
'Made me feel better too, Crittendon really spoiled my day. Here's hoping he doesn't come back for a long time.'  
'I can agree with that. Been worried about Rufus all day.'  
'Rufus is a tough man, he handled things well out there. I still can't believe he's such a talented painter.'  
'I've seen some of his works, he's got a real talent for it alright.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

That night Peter couldn't believe all the work that had been done in the holding area. The main room had been cleared out and turned into an elegant dining room, complete with flickering candles and fresh flowers. In the middle of the room was a little table set for two, crisp white linen, polished silverware and find china crockery really made the place feel special and helped him forget all about the fact they were underground.

Straightening his tie, Peter waited patiently for Emily to arrive, wondering just what beautiful dress she'd chosen from the selection on offer. Instead he got a wonderful surprise as Emily swept in wearing a dress he'd never seen before. The sheer black fabric clung to her curves and displayed her cleavage quite nicely, along with her shapely legs. She'd done her hair up as best she could, sweeping a few locks across her forehead and kicking out the back elegantly. Somehow she'd even found nylons, probably pilfered from Colonel Hogan's stash of the things.  
'Miss 'unter, you look simply divine.' he offered, bowing respectfully before offering his hand.  
'Oh Mr Newkirk, you flatterer.' Emily giggled, taking his hand and allowing him to guide her to the table.  
''Ardly flattery my dear, you are beautiful. Allow me.' Peter continued, drawing out Emily's chair for her.  
'Thank you.' Emily nodded, a little off balance with all the manners but she'd soon adjust. 'Such a cosy little restaurant.'  
'Only the very best for you my dear. At least with it so quiet, the service should be good.'  
'The service can be slow, all the more time to gaze at such a dashing gentleman.'  
'Now who is the flatterer, Miss 'unter.'  
'Please, Emily. I have never had much time for formalities.'  
'Very well Emily. Then I insist you call me Peter, formalities are rather over rated.'

Looking up when Carter approached, Emily quickly turned her gaze back to Peter as he ordered the wine and a small appetiser to get them started. Returning his gaze to Emily's face, Peter offered out his hand again and smiled wider as Emily placed her hand in his again, the simple contact thrilling to both of them. Returning to the table, Carter popped the Champagne and poured it carefully before placing the bottle in the waiting ice bucket. Leaving as quietly as he had approached, Carter left the lovebirds to enjoy their drinks and talk quietly as he retired to the kitchen.  
'To our first proper date.' Peter offered, lifting his glass and hoping he remembered the etiquette his mother had tried to teach him.  
'And many more to come.' Emily agreed, glasses clinking lightly before they drank.  
'Where did you get that dress, I've never seen anything like it before?'  
'I made it myself Peter, do you like it?'  
'It looks wonderful on you Emily. You are clearly very talented.'  
'Thank you Peter. I have a dear friend teaching me how to sew more complex things.'

Careful not to disturb the lovebirds too much, Carter placed the salad between them and refilled their glasses before disappearing again, leaving them to eat in peace and enjoy a moment away from the war. Even though it wasn't true etiquette for the time, they both picked up their forks and ate straight from the bowl, smiling and happy as they sampled what LeBeau had come up with.  
'I must say Peter, this is a lovely birthday celebration.'  
'It's your birthday? I had no idea Emily.'  
'I have never been one to make a big fuss of my birthday, I usually have work anyway.'  
'Then tonight we must celebrate properly.' Peter insisted, waving Carter over to the table.  
'Is there a problem sir?'  
'Not at all. Tell the chef that tonight is a special occasion, this fine young lady is having a birthday.'  
'As you wish sir. Happy birthday Ma'am.' Carter nodded, refilling their glasses again and heading towards the kitchen they'd set up.  
'You really didn't have to do that Peter.'  
'And if I truly wanted to? I'll spoil you every day Emily, I promise you that.'  
'Well, when you put it that way.' Emily allowed, munching away contentedly and gazing up at Peter happily.

With grace he never usually displayed, Carter cleared away the entrée plates and returned with the mains, subtle scents wafting up to tempt their guests. Setting them down carefully, he backed away as they admired the sautéed fish, roast potatoes, beans and carrots before tucking in, quite taken by just what was on offer. Entering the kitchen again, he watched LeBeau working on desert and smiled when he saw another plate waiting.  
'Is this for me LeBeau?'  
'Oui André, eat up. I will not have time to cook for the barracks tonight but we can still eat well.'  
'Thanks.'  
'So how are our little lovebirds going out there?'  
'They're having a wonderful time. All smiles and laughter.'  
'Very good, Pierre deserves a chance to forget about the war. As for Emily, such a woman should not have that haunted look in her eyes.'  
'She's been through a lot, I saw some of the scars she's got. There's a really big one over her right shoulder, about a centimetre wide at the thickest point.'  
'She truly has suffered. Take your time eating André, let them enjoy their meal.'  
'I'm just worried about Peter making evening roll cal.'  
'We still have plenty of time for them to enjoy a wonderful evening before roll call.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Finishing off the simple chocolate mousse LeBeau had made for desert, Peter waited for Emily to finish before rising and offering his arm. Smiling softly, Emily took his arm and glided over to the waiting armchairs, getting comfortable and fishing her cigarettes out of her purse. Lighting it for her, Peter pulled out one of his own and lit up, relaxing back in his chair and letting his meal settle. Without thinking, he checked his watch and relaxed a little more when he knew he still had a couple hours before he had to leave this dream. If Emily noticed him checking his watch, she made no comment, content to sit and sip the fine champagne and have an after dinner cigarette.

Listening to the soft music playing, Peter could almost forget he was in a prison camp in the middle of Germany. With Emily at his side and a full stomach, he felt at home and peaceful, the war far away from his thoughts. At his side, Emily was just as comfortable and relaxed, forgoing the long cigarette holder she had and holding the cigarette lightly between two fingers. There was something special about just having the time to let their relationship develop and take them to another level of understanding. They didn't need words to make their connection strong, solitude and quiet were enough.

Putting out her cigarette, Emily smiled and waited for Peter to finish his cigarette and stand, offering out his hand as Carter turned up the music a little more.  
'Might I have this dance?'  
'I would be delighted.' Emily nodded, rising and taking his offered hand. Taking Emily in his arms, Peter smiled proudly and spun her into a dance, forgetting about the pressure mounting on his shoulders as he looked into her eyes and felt her hands around him. With a smile to light up her face, Emily looked perfect as they danced, depthless brown eyes laughing and merry. In the flickering light of the candles and the dim electric lights, the world stopped pressing in on them and their hearts soared free, a perfect moment captured in their minds forever. Nothing could shatter this moment as love took flight and drew the mismatched lovers into a wonderful life together. It didn't matter that fate was probably against them, two hearts beat as one and all was perfect in the world. Stepping closer, Emily rested her head on Peter's shoulder and sighed softly, feeling so safe in his arms as they swayed to the music. Holding his beautiful lady close, Peter hummed along with the music and turned slowly, accepting Emily's trust and promising silently to always hold her up. Hands looped around Peter's neck, Emily accepted his support and promised to be there when he needed a loving hand to help him up again.

Moving slowly around the floor, promises were made and love blossomed without a word spoken, their hearts speaking louder than words ever could. A soft sigh, a contented smile, a sliding hand, these were the words and sentiments now. Peter made his promise to keep Emily first in his life and raise her up to walk with angels. In return, Emily made sure Peter understood how far she would go for him and her promise was eternal, whatever the future brought their way. Caught off guard by the depth of Emily's love and her promise to protect him from harm, Peter stumbled but regained his stride, twirling Emily again and asking for confirmation. Emily nodded and winked, eyes hardening for a moment before they softened again and she smiled. Stunned by the offer, Peter smiled and accepted the gift he'd been given, hoping he'd never see that side of Emily.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Climbing up into the barracks with minutes to spare, Peter couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he changed into his nightshirt and climbed up onto his bunk. Scampering out of the tunnel, Emily stepped up onto Carter's bunk and strained up, catching a loving kiss and tangling her fingers in Peter's hair. Drawing away slowly, she stroked his cheek and jumped down, disappearing from sight again.  
'I'll take it that you had a good first date Newkirk.' Hogan remarked, leaning in his doorway.  
'Couldn't 'ave been any better.' Peter grinned, rolling over and propping up on his elbows. 'Thank you.'  
'Wasn't easy to keep Schultz distracted but it was worth it.' Kinch added, pulling his blanket up and getting comfortable. 'At least someone got a decent feed tonight.'  
'Hey, I explained I'd be busy. Tomorrow I will make a proper meal for everyone.' LeBeau argued, climbing into his bunk and settling.  
'I don't see what you guys are complaining about. The food here beats what I got with the Gestapo.' Rufus shrugged, curling up and making sure his boots were close to hand.  
'Merci Rufus.'

Dropping the discussion when Schultz entered, everyone got organised and settled under the watchful eyes of the heavyset guard. What caught Schultz's eyes was the way Rufus settled, curled up in a single bunk and obviously very uncomfortable.  
'Something caught your eyes Schultz?' Newkirk asked, following his gaze.  
'Rufus seems most uncomfortable.'  
'I'm okay Schultzie, don't worry. I've slept in tighter bunks than this.' Rufus offered, shifting a little and trying to get settled.  
'Here's an idea. Johnson, move up to the empty top bunk.' Hogan suggested, emerging from his room.  
'Yes Colonel.' the shorter American nodded, rolling out of bed and unrolling the upper mattress before climbing up and flicking his blanket out.  
'Now you can stretch out across both lower bunks Rufus.' Hogan continued, watching Rufus shuffled down his bunk and stretched out a little more. 'Hey Schultz, any chance he can get a second blanket?'  
'One will not cover him, I will get him another.' Schultz nodded, turning and leaving the barracks.  
'You needn't go to any trouble Colonel.' Rufus sighed, forcing his pillow into a more comfortable shape and flicking his blanket out over his legs.

Returning a few minutes later, Schultz unfolded another thin prisoner blanket and flicked it over Rufus, tucking it in quickly so the taller pilot wouldn't get cold.  
'Thanks Schultz, really nice of you.' Rufus grinned, pulling the blanket up a little and closing his eyes.  
'That's Schultzie for you, 'eart of gold.' Newkirk agreed, lifting his head from his pillow.  
'Danke Newkirk.'  
'Yeah, I'm starting to see that now Newkirk. Next time I'll believe you right up.'  
'Don't look so surprised Schultzie, of course I told Rufus you're not a bad guard.'  
'Danke. Time for lights out now.'  
'Good night Schultzie.' Rufus grinned, rolling over and drifting off to sleep as the barracks was plunged into darkness.  
'Good night everyone.'


	8. Happiness Is A Warm Sergeant

Jumping for cover when a short caused problems with the radio set, Emily went the closest direction and up the bunk ladder, tripping on the railing and landing in a sprawled heap on the floor.  
'Are you alright?' Peter asked, crouching beside her.  
'He'll arrange a rendezvous point and pick you up in 48 hours.'  
'Yeah, I'm alright Peter. Got a fright below is all.' Emily nodded, flipping over and sitting up.  
'No, he won't. We had a short, blew out half of the equipment.' Kinch added, appearing in the entrance with a handful of burned wiring and components. 'We can't send or receive.'  
'How long to fix it?'  
'It's impossible. We need new parts.'  
'We'll get them for you. Make a list.'  
'I got it right here.'  
'Y'all going to get radio parts in the middle of Germany with a big old war going on?'  
'We've got a contact in town. A bartender at the local hotel. Fellas, I'm going to need a volunteer to go into town to see the dentist.'

Rolling her eyes at the silence, Emily got to her feet and walked over to Peter's footlocker, pulling out a small bottle of black dye. Grabbing out a cloth, she briskly rubbed some dye into her hair and combed it out again with a stained grey comb.  
'I see. Another stampede. I'm sorry; I can only accept one volunteer.'  
'Sir, I…'  
'Thank you Newkirk.'  
'Which one of us Sir?' Emily asked, straightening out her hair.  
'You want to go then Emily?'  
'Sure Gov'nor, been getting a bit stir crazy in the tunnels.'  
'Alright, Newkirk, give her your uniform again.'  
'What 'appened to the one I made you?'  
''ad to give it to that other chap that tore the seat out of his pants, remember.'  
'Oh, right. If you don't mind Colonel.'  
'Go ahead Newkirk.' Hogan nodded, moving back as the pair filed into his office.  
'A woman in a prison camp?'  
'That's right, she's a special case. Now keep your mouth shut about her and don't let her catch you staring. She's not like any other woman you've met.' Hogan warned, wondering just how Emily was going to handle this one without backup.

Switching uniforms quickly, Emily and Peter went over the routine for ordering the parts and keeping Schultz occupied so he didn't realise anything was going on. It wasn't that Emily needed the reminders, she had it down but it didn't hurt to have it fresh in her mind. Last to switch were the tags and watches, Emily's big modern combat watch for Newkirk's much simpler, smaller one. Running one hand through her hair, Emily picked up touch of black dye and smeared it over her wrist, hiding the wider watch tan lines.  
'Alright Gov'nor, let's get this over with.' Emily sighed, stalking over and opening her mouth.  
'Nurse, will you assist him?'  
'Yes Sir.'  
'I'll make a start on a new uniform for you Emily.' Newkirk offered, heading for the tunnel.  
'Thanks angel.' Emily grinned, catching his sleeve and turning. Smiling faintly, he caught her sweet kiss and disappeared below, wondering how far he'd get.  
'Now if you'll please open wide.'  
'Open wide.'  
'This won't hurt.'  
'This won't hurt.'  
'Cotton.'  
'Cotton.'  
'There you are. Now have a toothache and that's an order.' Hogan finished, packing the cotton balls in against Emily's cheek. Rolling her eyes, she calmly flipped him the bird and put on a pained expression, clearly irritated and looking for an outlet.  
'You should know you can't order her around Colonel.'  
'I know LeBeau, but I can order Newkirk around.' Emily just flipped him the bird again and grabbed her coat.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Running over the plan in her mind as she entered Klink's office, Emily knew she was about to face the biggest test of her Newkirk impersonation and she had prepared excuses if Klink noticed the change in eye colour.  
'Herr Kommandant, here they are.'  
'I will finish dictating those reports later, Fraulein Helga.'  
'Very good, Herr Colonel.'  
'You look beautiful today, baby.'  
'Schultz!'  
'Jawohl, Herr Kommandant.'  
'Now, Colonel Hogan, a toothache? Your men seem to have a lot of dental trouble lately.'  
'I think it's the sawdust in the bread, Sir. But I guess, to make money on supplies, you've got to do that.'  
'Who told you that we put sawdust in the prisoner's bread?'  
'A little bird told me.'  
'That little bird may soon be flying off to the Russian front.'  
'I said nothing, Herr Kommandant, nothing.'

Jumping slightly when Klink stood and came right up beside her, Emily forced her instincts to calm down and looked at him, waiting to see how this was going to pan out.  
'Does it hurt?'  
'The pain is terrible.'  
'Let him speak for himself.'  
'The pain is truly terrible.' Emily tried, but no one understood.  
'That's plain enough for anybody.'  
'How do I know this is a genuine toothache? Open your mouth!' enduring Klink's hands on her face, Emily prayed mentally and planned to get some kind of payback for this. 'Mouth stuffed with cotton.'  
'That's to keep the tooth warm.'  
'Why, of course. Don't you give me any credit for having any brains?'  
'I refuse to answer on the grounds that I might tell the truth.'  
'Schultz! If I agree to let him go to the dentist what guarantee do I have that he will not try to escape?'  
'You have my word.'  
'You have my word too.' again with the mumbling but it meant she didn't have to worry about vocal mistakes.  
'He agrees.'  
'I heard him. All right, I'll give him a pass. Now, Schultz, you take him straight to the dentist in Hammelburg and then straight back here without any detours. Understood?'  
'Understood, Herr Kommandant.'  
'And you will stay with him at all times. Even while the dentist treats him.'  
'Sir, the dentist might pull his tooth.'  
'So?'  
'I can't stand the sight of blood.'  
'Imbecile! How did you ever get into the German Army?'  
'I think he lied about his weight.' Hogan quipped, glancing at Emily. She grinned faintly and shrugged, figuring that was a safe option.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Finding the right hotel was the easy bit; convincing Schultz to go inside was a little bit trickier. In the end, Emily had just grabbed him by the arm and boldly dragged him towards the door, ignoring his protests.  
'No! No. No, the order was straight to the dentist and then straight back home.'  
'Schultz, you can't deny a man a bit of schnapps before a visit to the dentist. It's inhuman. Look, one drink. One drink. Now, come on. You'll have a beer. Ein beer.'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'And I'll have a wee drop of whiskey. Don't worry. Don't worry. Hello, chum. Wie geth's and all that. Ohh, that's that lovely tub of beer for my friend. A wee drop of whiskey for me, please.'  
'Whiskey, Sir, yes.'  
'The good stuff, right.' Emily nodded, reaching into her pocket as the bartender poured the drink. 'Radio parts. We need them right away.' she uttered, handing over the money and list of parts before tipping the whiskey into the beer and gathering shot glass, beer and whiskey bottle into her hands. 'Here we go then. This stuff looks good enough to drink.'  
'Prozit.'  
'Well, if you say so.'

Even though Newkirk had warned her not to start drinking, Emily couldn't resist and swallowed down the first shot as the bartender left.  
'This is good, strong beer.'  
'Nothing too good for our boys in uniform. Is that an officer back there?'  
'Where?' with Schultz distracted, Emily dropped two shots into his glass before he turned back around. 'I see nothing.'  
'It's my mistake. I'm a big jumpy I guess.'  
'Don't scare me like that. Prozit.'  
'Prozit.'

Distracting Schultz again, Emily dropped another shot in his beer before having another drink personally. She knew her limit and planned to stick to it, no matter how long she got stuck drinking with Schultz. It really was painfully easy to distract Schultz and dose his drink to make sure he had a wonderful time and forgot about what he should have been doing.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Enjoying a light buzz, Emily kept half an eye on Schultz as he tried to polish the wall. As far as she was concerned, it was mission accomplished on getting Schultz to forget why they were in town, he didn't even realise she'd lost the "swelling" in her face.  
'Excuse me, sir. What time does this train get to Düsseldorf?'  
'I'll let you know.'  
'Thank you very much sir.' Schultz replied, picking up his helmet and taking another drink. 'Very good beer in this place, but the glasses are terrible.'

Glancing back over her shoulder when the door opened, Emily let out a faint sigh of relief when she spotted the bartender returning. Getting to her feet, she walked over to receive the package, stuffing it into her jacket where it would be secure.  
'Thanks, chum. Lend us a hand, will you? Come on, Schultz. Come on. The party's over. Look alive now.' she called, buttoning up her jacket with one hand as she tried to rouse Schultz.  
'You go to the dentist. I wait for you here.'  
'I've been to the dentist. Look, the swelling is gone. Come on.'  
'Send the bill to Klink.' Schultz laughed, staggering to his feet. 'Big shot Klink!'  
'Blimey. He's a load. I may have to roll him back to camp. Come on. Come on.'

Managing to get Schultz out the door, Emily found just the handy little aid she needed. Motioning the bartender around, she got him to hold the wheelbarrow still as she gently dropped Schultz into it, figuring he was going to feel lousy without Emily adding to his trouble.  
'Something for your trouble.' the bartender offered, handing Emily a small bottle.  
'Hey, thanks mate.' she grinned, hiding the fragile treasure in her jacket. 'I'll get the wheelbarrow back as soon as I can.'  
'Of course. Good luck getting him home.'  
'I'll cope.'  
'Safe journey.'  
'Come on Schultzie, time to go 'ome.' Emily grinned, hoisting her burden and heading back to camp.

Trudging towards camp, Emily had time to consider the mess she'd gotten into and just how she'd demand payment for her hard work. The brandy bottle in her coat was a nice touch but she'd still try to wheedle a massage out of someone, preferably Peter but Hogan would do if necessary. But for now she had to battle through and drag Schultz's bulk back to camp and it was a long walk. For a moment she regretted her three shots of whiskey but then figured it was part of a payment plan along with the brandy and massage.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Finally setting eyes on the camp, Emily let out a sigh of relief. Schultz had gotten the idea to start singing away in German, loud and proud. Rolling her eyes at his antics, she continued her journey and actually looked forward to hiding away in the tunnels and having a few drinks to help her forget this mess.  
'Pipe down. We're almost 'ome.' she tried but Schultz wasn't having it, he went right on singing. 'Open up. Open up. Schnell.'  
'We went to the dentist. We had a marvellous time.'  
'You want Klink on us?'  
'Ach, Kommandant Klink, Mr Big Shot.'  
'Stop that. Stop that. Stop that flipping noise.' Emily hissed, giving his helmet a good shake against his head. 'if Klink 'ears us, 'e'll make all kinds of trouble for you tomorrow.' she continued, rolling her eyes again when Schultz shushed himself before she got ready to move off, only to get a nasty surprise coming their way - Klink.  
'Sergeant Schultz!'  
'Well, 'ere it is, tomorrow.' she groaned, putting the wheelbarrow down again.  
'Hello, big shot. I mean…jawhol Kommandant Big Shot. I mean…forget it.'  
'Anything wrong?'  
'Never mind, Hogan!'  
'I thought one of my men might be in trouble, Sir, but I can see it's one of yours.' Hogan continued, bending over Schultz. 'Oh, this man is obviously not well sir.'  
'Careful of the fumes, Sir.' Emily offered, waving one hand over Schultz face.  
'On your feet, Dummkopf.'  
'A little help Newkirk.' Hogan suggested, stepping back as Emily shifted her grip on the handles and propelled Schultz upright where Hogan could grab and support him until Emily got in to lend a hand.  
'Request permission to fall flat on my face if necessary.' Schultz offered, pinned between the prisoners.  
'Seven hours ago, you left this camp to go to the dentist. Seven hours at the dentist?'  
'It was a very big tooth, Sir.'  
'Silence!'  
'Now a prisoner has to bring you back, drunk.'  
'At least Newkirk is sober.'  
'Yes, Sir. Pity, ain't it?'  
'I will be sober by tomorrow, Sir.'  
'Oh, yes, Schultz. You will also walk a guard post outside the wire. Back and forth, where it is cold and lonely. But that will only be temporary.'  
'Thank you, Sir.'  
'Until the Sergeant who replaces you arrives from headquarters. And then our favourite drunken fool will be transferred to the command of some other lucky officer.'  
'Why not see if you can 'ave 'im Sir?' Emily suggested, just to get one last dig in.  
'We'd have to reinforce the bunks but can we Kommandant?'  
'Dismissed!' Klink almost whined, turning and walking away.  
'He's gone now Schultz. It's okay to fall on your face. Come on Newkirk, let's get Schultz to his bunk.'  
'Come on Gov'nor, I lugged him all the way back to camp. Can't someone else help you get him to his quarters?'  
'Fair call Newkirk. Hey Rufus, come give me a hand with Schultz will ya?'  
'Coming Colonel.' Rufus nodded, tossing their baseball back to Carter and running over to assist.  
'Go get cleaned up Newkirk, you stink of booze from the close contact with Schultz.'  
'Right-o Gov'nor.' Emily grinned, slipping away to the barracks.

Closing the door behind her, she completely ignored everyone in the barracks in favour of heading below and handing Kinch the parts he'd requested.  
'Thanks Emily, now to get busy.'  
'Next time Hogan needs a volunteer, just remind me of the day I lugged a drunken Schultz back to camp.'  
'You got it Emily. Newkirk's in his sewing room.'  
'Good to know Kinch but I'm going to bed. Schultz weighs a fucking ton.' Emily nodded, heading for her quarters.  
'I'll let him know you're back. Klink will get suspicious if a Newkirk isn't around.'  
'Appreciate it Kinch but send someone else. You've got a radio to fix.'  
'I'll get LeBeau.'

Carefully putting her brandy bottle on the table beside her bed, Emily stripped off and neatly folded Newkirk's uniform on the foot of her bed before digging out a clean change of clothes and applying a liberal dose of deodorant to hide the boozy smell. Fastening her belt, she hung her shirt over her chair and flopped out on her bunk, wishing her aching shoulders would just settle down.  
'You decent Emily?' Newkirk asked, waiting outside her curtain.  
'Kinda. Get in here Peter.' Emily groaned, not wanting to move after the day she'd had.  
'So 'ow'd it go?'  
'I did what you suggested, Schultz got distracted alright. Kinch has his parts, I got a treat from the bartender and now you are going to give me a massage.'  
'And why am I going to give you a massage?'  
'Hey, I didn't have to take a trip into town and then lug a drunk Schultz back. It should have been you now pay up.'  
'I did try to warn you Schultz can be a 'andful. But I suppose you deserve a massage after all your 'ard work.' Peter agreed, working off his boots and straddling Emily's hips.  
'I consider it part of my payment. Along with the brandy from the bartender and the couple of drinks I had at the hotel.'  
'I thought I warned you not to 'ave anything to drink.'  
'Feh, couple of whiskeys ain't going to make much of an impression on me Peter. Takes more than that to make me even tipsy. Don't worry, I didn't start drinking until after the order was placed for the parts.'  
'Well, alright then. Just don't let Colonel 'ogan find out.'  
'No intention of it.' Emily replied, groaning in delight as Peter worked out the tension in her shoulders.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Sitting with the rest of the gang outside their barracks, Rufus watched Schultz on his patrol, heavy rifle against his shoulder. It didn't take a trained man to see Schultz was in pain but there was nothing that could be done.  
'Old Schultz is really suffering out there.'  
'He looks like a zeppelin with empty gas bags.'  
'I talked to him a little while ago. All he said was, "mein feet are killing me".'  
'Colonel, do you think Klink will really transfer him out?'  
'I hope not. It's taken a long time to train Schultz.'  
'He sits up and begs for my strudel.'  
'Who's this?'

Attention drawn to the new arrival, Rufus grinned faintly and watched him closely, evaluating and judging this man's character. He looked like a stickler for rules but only time would tell.  
'Herr Kommandant, Sergeant Hans Krebs reporting for duty as ordered, Sir.'  
'At ease, Sergeant.'  
'There's your answer. That's Schultz's replacement.'  
'He barks like a ruddy seal.'  
'He looks very GI to me.'  
'You never know, he might be a bit of a pushover.' Rufus shrugged, not really believing it but he had to try and lift spirits.  
'Let's find out. Try him on for size, Rufus. But take it easy.'  
'You got it Colonel.'

Getting up, Rufus wandered aimlessly towards the Kommandant, dropping his weight and slouching so he really didn't seem that much of a problem. He knew from experience that a lot of guys tended to back down when he towered over them, ready for a fight with every muscle coiled for action.  
'Things run very smoothly here, Sergeant. We have never even had an escape at Stalag 13.'  
'Sup, Colonel? How's the weather down there?' Rufus asked, already ambling off again.  
'Halt!' Krebs barked, his tone stopping Rufus dead in his tracks. 'Is that the way you talk to the Commanding Officer?'  
'It's a fair question, small fry.' Rufus shot back, straightening out and lifting his head so he towered over the Germans.  
'Come to attention!'  
'You're still small fry.' Rufus replied, snapping to attention and displaying his full height.  
'Eyes front! Salute!'  
'Yup, little man complex.' Rufus countered, following orders but still being seriously cheeky.  
'McKenzie, this is a new broom.'  
'You mean dust brush?' Rufus replied, glancing down at Klink.  
'Do as he says, or this new broom will sweep you into the cooler.'  
'Nah, feather duster is more appropriate for this one.' Rufus mused, looking back at Krebs. 'Heil Hitler!' he barked, distracting them both and taking off back to the safety of Colonel Hogan's little gang.

Sniggering as he sat down, Rufus took a moment to compose himself before looking around at his friends, only to find them all grinning like madmen.  
'You've got guts Rufus, I'll give you that. This Krebs is going to be a big problem though.'  
'He hid it well but I saw the typical reaction. He got a little nervy when I came to my full height, I saw it in his eyes.'  
'But he's definitely a hard task master.'  
'No doubt there Colonel. We can't lose Schultz, not if this is the future.'  
'I'm working on that Rufus, one problem at a time.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Amazed by the change in Rufus since becoming a full member of the camp, Aloysius listened with fascination to the story of Rufus' encountered with Krebs.  
'I never thought I'd see the day you were being a smartass to people Rufus, good on ya.'  
'Thanks Boss, I wasn't really thinking about it, it just happened that way.'  
'I'm still proud of you buddy.'  
'Three days before we can get a message to London, Sir?'  
'That's about the size of it. Aloysius, time for you to get out of sight again.'  
'Alright Colonel. We'll talk later buddy.' Aloysius nodded, squeezing Rufus' wrist lightly before heading for the entrance and dropping out of sight.  
'Close it up down there.' Hogan instructed, thumping on the bunk. 'We've got bigger problems, anyway. This new Sergeant is a bloodhound. If we lose Schultz and get stuck with him our whole operation could be out of business and we'd have to get Emily and Aloysius out of here.'  
'Maybe we can tame him if he likes strudel.'  
'Come on. It took six months to get Schultz to look the other way.'  
'And he's got no character at all.'  
'Hey watch it, somebody's coming.'  
'Oh, scramble.'

Darting from his bunk, Rufus slid onto one of the benches at the table and picked up the deck of cards sitting there, shuffling them up and starting a game of solitaire for boredom's sake.  
'Hi, Schultz.'  
'Hey Schultzie.'  
'How are you?'  
'Eight hours I walked today.'  
'Here, come on. Sit down, Schultz, rest your bones.'  
'That's it.'  
'You all pooped out?'  
'Oh, I'm double pooped out. I'm going to be pooped out for the rest of my life. And tomorrow I have to walk again.'  
'Oh, tough go.'  
'LeBeau, please, could I have some of the foot powder the Red Cross gave you?'  
'Sure.'  
'Here Schultz, have a little something to eat.' Rufus grinned, flicking a chocolate bar down the table.  
'Danke Rufus, danke.'  
'You're most welcome Schultz.'  
'One thing I don't understand: How could I get so drunk on one glass of beer?'  
'Never drink on an empty stomach.'  
'You call this empty?'  
'Cheer up Schultz, maybe they'll send you to a good post.'  
'Maybe they're going to send me to the Russian front.'  
'If they transfer you close to home, you'll be able to see your wife more often.'  
'All of a sudden, the Russian front sounds very good.'  
'Come on Schultzie, you're forgetting the power of positive thinking. Everything will work out, you'll see.' Rufus tried, figuring he had to help out somehow.

Spotting their temporary guest as he emerged from Hogan's office, Rufus scanned the table before patting his pockets and finding the cigarette packet he'd taken to carrying just in case.  
'You fellas got a cigarette for a buddy?'  
'Here, old buddy.' Rufus offered, bombing one right over Schultz's helmet.  
'Thankyou, Lieutenant.'  
'Light?'  
'Here.' Schultz beat them all to it, striking a match and holding it up.  
'Well, I'll see you men all later.'  
'Hold it.'

Fighting down his laughter as Schultz held his gun upside down, Rufus went back to his cards, figuring Winslow would be out of the way one way or another and life could get back to some semblance of normality.  
'Who's this?'  
'Captain Jeb Winslow.'  
'Guten aben, buddy. Nice to meet you.'  
'Winslow, shut up before you get shot.' Rufus sighed, a dropped title the least of anyone's concerns at the moment.  
'Well, auf weidersehen, y'all.'  
'Halt! Hold it!'  
'Schultz, Schultz, what about another cup of coffee?'  
'Go away!'  
'So much for being a nice guy Newkirk.'  
'Ah, lay off McKenzie. I thought you Americans were supposed to be smart.'  
'This joker is nothing to do with me, I'd gladly hand in my American life to avoid any connection with this idiot.'  
'Alright you two, that's enough. What's done is done, now stop arguing.' Hogan cut in, glaring at the pair.  
'Sorry Gov'nor.'  
'Yes Colonel.'  
'A nice cup of foot powder?'  
'Winslow, he was never in the roll call.'  
Schultz, he's only passing through.'  
'Ah-ha, a spy.'  
'In uniform?'  
'Wait a minute. Wait a minute. There was a plane shot down near Düsseldorf the other day.'  
'They got my gas tank. I was coming in for a strafe…'  
'All right Captain, pipe down!'  
'Winslow, you really are an idiot. You're in it hip deep and sinking every time you open you bloody mouth.' Rufus groaned, unable to believe how stupid this particular American was.  
'This is my lucky break.'  
'How do you figure that Schultz?'  
'Well, if I turn him into Klink, he's going to tear up my transfer papers.'  
'Good thinking Schultz.'  
'Yeah. My feet might be dead, but not my brain.'  
'Right. When Klink starts to figure out how he got into camp while you were Sergeant of the Guard you'll get a chance to use your brain again at your court martial.'  
'Please, don't confuse me.'  
'Let's face it, you're up the creek.'  
'No matter what I do I cannot be smart. But I have to turn him in. Go! Go! Go!'  
'Schultz, we'll work a deal with you. Forget you saw him, and we'll get rid of Sergeant Krebs. That way Klink will have to keep you.'  
'How can you do that?'  
'We'll think of something.'  
'But Klink already signed my transfer papers. Corporal Langenscheidt told me.'  
'Signed them, but they never left camp.'  
'How do you know?' Reaching into his jacket, Newkirk produced the troublesome document and handed it over to Hogan before sitting down with Rufus and accepting the cards and starting to deal.  
'Name: Schultz, Hans. Rank: Sergeant. Grade: One.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Spotting Krebs making his approach, Rufus finished his project and signalled Newkirk, ready for his return to the skies. Leaving his place, Newkirk sidled up to the kraut and looked around for a moment before tapping his shoulder.  
'What is it?'  
'You didn't 'ear if from me mate but that big guy McKenzie has a plane in the camp. 'E's gonna fly out of 'ere any minute.'  
'An aeroplane?'  
'Yeah, it's 'idden in the rec 'all.'  
'Very good. I won't forget this.'

Waiting patiently in the rec hall, Rufus got the signal for their approach and picked up his new toys, cradling the beautifully made Fokker DR.I in his left arm and holding his miniature Grumman F-14 Tomcat in his right hand. With a triumphant yell, Krebs ripped the door open and got the shock of his life. Instead of a full sized aeroplane, a little black something shot out the open door, blazed past his head and crashed into the barracks across the way. The effect was good though, Krebs fell flat on his ass in shock.  
'Oh well, so much for the opening flight. Now for the main event.' Rufus announced, reaching over and firing up the gramophone. Waiting for the engine to come to full power, he cocked his arm back and let rip, his mini Fokker racing out the door and zooming past Klink's head before coming in for a gentle landing.  
'What is all this?'  
'Oh, didn't see you there Colonel. I've been making these little model planes out of cardboard and just wanted to see how well they flew. Newkirk was supposed to open the door when I had a clear runway.' Rufus sighed, emerging from the rec hall and looking for his planes. 

Walking over to where his Tomcat had crashed, he picked up the broken remains and looked at them for a moment before shoving the mass into his jacket. Then he collected his Fokker and returned to Klink, holding up the model for his inspection.  
'An interesting subject choice McKenzie, very interesting.'  
'I remember hearing stories of the Red Baron and his Fokker and figured I'd give it a go.' he shrugged, allowing Klink to admire his handiwork up close.  
'This is amazing work, simply amazing.'  
'Thank you Kommandant. You can keep it if you like, now that I know how to do it, I can make another to send home to my brother.'  
'That's very generous of you but no, you keep it.'  
'Very well Kommandant.' Rufus nodded, cradling the small plane close and heading for his barracks.  
'Just one thing…no more test flights.'  
'I do apologise Kommandant. I was waiting for Newkirk to let me know when the runway was clear.'  
'That's typical, blame someone else for your piloting errors.' Newkirk complained, walking over to Rufus.  
'You promised you'd open the door when I had a clear runway. Instead you went and told Klink about my little project. Now I've got to come up with a new Christmas present for him.'  
'You were going to give a model to Klink for Christmas?'  
'Sure, he's not bad as Kommandant's go. I figured he could hang if from the ceiling in his office, his very own Fokker DR.I just like the Red Baron.'  
'Blimey, I 'ad no idea Rufus. Sorry about that, I guess I overreacted.'  
'It's alright Newkirk, I forgive you. But now what am I supposed to do with this?'  
'Maybe Schultz could give it to his kids?'  
'It's possible I suppose.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Final preparations in place for the final stage of removing Krebs, Rufus listened to the last minute briefing and hoped he could pull it off without making it too obvious that it was all intentional.  
'He's posting guard.'  
'He'll be here in a minute. He'll stick with us, you can bet on that. Everybody got the plan straight?'  
'Yeah, the Captain gets in the tunnel and waits. As soon as the alarm goes, I guide him through the woods.'  
'Right. Make sure Krebs is out of the way before you move. Carter, you and LeBeau get in my office as soon as you can. We'll use the window to get out.'  
'Right.'  
'I'm going back to little old England.'  
'Next time you're captured, find yourself another POW camp. He made me barbeque K rations for him. Americans!'  
'Steady LeBeau, we're not all that bad. He's just an idiot, as we can all attest to.' Rufus soothed, confident this rowdy pilot wouldn't try picking any fights with him.  
'He's moving this way.'  
'All right. Lone Ranger, hide in the tunnel.'  
'Hi-Yo Silver.'  
'Okay, Kinch and Rufus, come with me. Newkirk, get started.'  
'Right.'  
'Have fun buddy.' Rufus grinned, patting Newkirk's shoulder before running for Hogan's office and disappearing inside.

Eyeing the window as he waited for LeBeau and Carter, Rufus shook his head in disbelief at what he'd gotten involved with this time. The very idea of squeezing out the window was absurd but he had a role to play in the escape attempt so he had to make the window. He listened to Newkirk hooking in the kraut and grinned, feeling more confident with the plan once LeBeau and Carter slipped into the office. Opening the window, Rufus peeked outside then stepped up onto the stool under the window and rolled out, curling into a ball and disappearing into the shadows. Rising to his full height, he followed the group across the gaps between the buildings, squeezing in with his friends and hoping their luck held.

Hurdling the last warning barrier and approaching the wire, he pulled out the wire cutters and got busy, everyone else keeping a sharp watch for trouble as he cut them a big enough hole to slip out. Clearing both sets of wire, Rufus tripped over his untied bootlace and landed with a grunt, yanking Schultz's attention right onto them.  
'Halt!'  
'Hold it Schultz, it's only us. Rufus you clumsy oaf, get up.'  
'Sorry Colonel.'  
'What are you doing here?'  
'We're escaping buddy.'  
'And you're going to catch us.'  
'I am?'  
'And Klink forgets the transfer and you're a big shot.'  
'Yeah. Start yelling for the dogs.'  
'No. With my luck, nothing works.'  
'Positive thinking Schultz, it's going to save your job.' Rufus sighed, quickly tying up his bootlace before raising his hands again.  
'Some people! You try to help them. You guys, start yelling!'  
'Guards! Guards! Release the dogs!' Rufus bellowed, his voice travelling and drawing more attention than even LeBeau's best could manage to draw.  
'Quiet! You'll wake Klink up. You'll put me in trouble. Quiet!'

Continuing to make a fuss as best he could, Rufus let Hogan worry about getting Schultz to cooperate with them, manhandling the guard to point his rifle at them with both hands on it.  
'Will you cooperate a little?'  
'Do you really want to get to the Russian front that badly Schultz?'  
'Not really Rufus.'  
'Then work with us.' Rufus sighed, shocked when LeBeau huddled closer to him in fright and then Carter got the idea as well and joined the frightened mass.

Finally they got the result they wanted, with guards, dogs and the Kommandant all gathered around their position. Settling a little, Rufus nudged LeBeau back and smiled at him, trying to be the strong man for the nervous group.  
'What is this?'  
'We were trying to escape, and this rat, Schultz, caught us!'  
'Yes, Herr Kommandant, this rat, Schultz, caught them.'  
'If it not for him, we would have made it. Cochon!'  
'Boy, a guy hasn't got a chance with him around.'  
'Didn't help that Rufus tripped over.'  
'I said I was sorry Colonel.'  
'Herr Kommandant. Herr Kommandant. Herr Kommandant, there has been an escape.'  
'Thank you for that interesting news bulletin, Sergeant. Why didn't you know about this Sergeant?'  
'Sir, I had information the escape would take place from the barracks. I was watching there.'  
'You fool! That was a diversion. This is the real escape.'  
'I'm sorry Herr Kommandant.'  
'Being sorry does not prevent escapes. You are hereby relieved of duty and you will be transferred out of here at once. Dismissed. Schultz! You will resume as Sergeant of the Guard. Your transfer is being revoked.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.'  
'Colonel, I protest. This man is inhuman.'  
'He's a monster with eyes in the back of his head.'  
'And the pair in front ain't bad, either.'  
'His ears are too good, no way he can avoid him.' Rufus agreed, just glad to be rid of Krebs, he'd take whatever punishment was offered.  
'Silence! Gentlemen, your protests are music to my ears. We need men like Sergeant Schultz to maintain the reputation of Stalag 13. Schultz, Hogan is confined to the barracks and these three idiots get two weeks in the cooler.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.'

Relaxing a little once the guards left them with Schultz, Rufus locked his fingers and rested his hands on his neck, not really worried by two weeks in the cooler. He had his modern flight suit on under his local uniform, a little added insurance against the cold.  
'Congratulations Schultz, we did it.'  
'Right, we got your transfer cancelled.'  
'Alright, let's go! One wrong step and I shoot!'  
'Get him, will you?'  
'How quickly they forget.'  
'Back! Back! Back! Back!'  
'Alright Schultzie, alright.' Rufus sighed, crawling through the gaps and heading for the cooler.


	9. The Great Impersonation

Out on a night mission with Newkirk, Carter, LeBeau and Kinch, Aloysius had to wonder how he'd ever gotten dragged into this mess when Emily had such a knack for these night operations. Shoving that thought aside, he went back to keeping watch over the quartet, ready to jump in and get them out of trouble if need be. But then, he was just one man and when it came to working around Carter, more backup would have been nice. Emily had declined this one because she had other work to do and Rufus didn't like the tunnels so he got the short end of the job.  
'Easy now. Hold it. Here it comes. One the count of three. One, two, three!'

Hugging the ground instinctively when the explosives detonated and wiped out yet another ammunition train, Aloysius had to roll his eyes at the antics of his companions.  
'Bingo!'  
'That was a lulu!'  
'Very nice, indeed.'  
'Great timing, Newkirk.'  
'You did very well, Newkirk.'  
'Thank you very much chaps. For my next number I shall do a request explosion.'  
'If you four idiots are done making a racket, let's get back to camp. Or would you prefer the fucking krauts found us here?' Aloysius hissed, joining the happy group.  
'Aloysius is right. Let's get out of here.'  
'Right, right, let's go.'  
'Carter, which way back to camp?'

The silence from Carter was telling and it put a very sour taste in Aloysius' mouth. Whenever Carter got that particular look, things just went south on them and in a very, very big way.  
'Well, I don't know.'  
'What?'  
'I beg your pardon?'  
'I was afraid to tell you guys. I don't know where we are. I guess I must have dropped the compass.'  
'How stupid can you get?'  
'You ruddy fool.'  
'Not very bright.'  
'If I had any brains, would I be a prisoner of war?'  
'How do we get back to camp?'  
'Maybe…'  
'Carter, one more word from you and I'm going to string you up by your testicles from this very tree.'  
'That's a bit 'arsh Aloysius, even for this screw up.'  
'Newkirk, you can't tell me you're happy we're in this mess. I thought you and Emily had an engagement once we got back.'  
'Well yeah, we 'ad plans. Blimey, me lucky night and I get stuck in this mess. Carter, you really screwed things up this time.'  
'Your lucky night? What'd you mean by that?'  
'Carter, just shut up.' Aloysius groaned, looking around for a moment. 'Look, I'll go climb a tree further up the hill and take a look around. I should be able to find the way home. Kinch, come give me a leg up.'  
'You got it Aloysius.'  
'I'll go with you.'  
'Carter! Stay here.'  
'You'll end up breaking their legs.'

From his perch up the tree, Aloysius saw big trouble heading right for his friends and swore mentally, waving Kinch out of sight. Watching with growing fear and concern, Aloysius could do nothing as the trio were escorted away at gunpoint. Forced into inactivity, Aloysius swore he'd get them out of trouble as soon as he could. First though, he needed to get back to camp and tell Hogan what had gone wrong. Once the coast was clear of Germans, he climbed down and grabbed Kinch's arm, hustling him away.  
'What about the others? We have to do something.'  
'We will Kinch but I don't have my usual kit with me at the moment. All I've got is one measly pistol; no way we can take out a fully armed squad without serious casualties. We just have to hope they can stay out of trouble until we can organise a rescue.'  
'And if they can't?'  
'Emily's going to string the both of us from the barbed wire by our dicks.'  
'Pleasant thought.'  
'I never said Emily was a charming woman. Here's hoping we catch her in a good mood.'  
'I hate to sound negative but if she's in a bad mood?'  
'Run like hell until you reach England.  
'Thanks for the tip.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Flying up the ladder without even touching the rungs, Kinch and Aloysius bolted for Hogan's quarters and barricaded themselves inside seconds before Emily was up the ladder and charging the door.  
'Aloysius Knight, get out here and face me like a man!' she demanded, pistol in her hand as she approached the door.  
'Whoa, steady on Emily. What's going on?' Hogan tried, lunging and grabbing Emily's gun hand firmly in both his.  
'You'll notice only Aloysius and Kinch are back, they let the other three get captured.'  
'I'm sure it wasn't on purpose Emily. Now come on, we'll get Newkirk back, don't you worry.' Rufus added, moving to block the door to add another level of defence around the last links to their missing men.  
'Bah, like I'd ever trust Knight again. He obviously can't be trusted with delicate matters.'  
'Don't blame me Emily, Carter got us lost. I went to find our way back to camp.' Aloysius offered, still hidden away out of her reach.  
'I don't believe you Knight. You'd best stay out of the tunnels tonight, I can't be held responsible for what Rom and Rem might do.' Emily spat, ripping her hand free and storming back below ground.  
'I just hope Emily won't try anything stupid. Like trying to find Newkirk now.' Hogan sighed, getting Rufus out of the way and heading to talk to the men hiding in his office.

Backs to the wall, Kinch and Aloysius swapped very worried looks, not convinced Emily wouldn't try to do them harm as they slept. Of course, there was the risk she'd go them another time, letting them relax before getting her revenge.  
'Alright, what happened?'  
'We blew the train up right on schedule, it couldn't have gone better. Then Carter told us he didn't know the way back to camp.'  
'I figured I'd climb a tree on top of the ridge and find us a way home. I asked Kinch to give me a leg up since I'd noticed the lowest branches were a little high for me to reach on my own.'  
'If we hadn't been doing that, they would have grabbed us too.'  
'That's a break anyway. By now, the Gestapo's got the boys.'  
'Well that's swell. Emily is going to kill us for this.'  
'She won't if she wants Newkirk home safe. I'll give her some time to cool off and then talk to her.'  
'You don't know Emily; she won't cool off until she's got Newkirk back in her arms Hogan.'  
'Well, at least they've got their fake dogtags.'  
'And the detonators and the walkie-talkie and a few extra sticks of dynamite.'  
'It's a cinch the krauts won't think they were selling magazine subscriptions.'  
'We got to spring them Colonel.'  
'First thing we got to do is find out where they've taken the boys. Tomorrow I'll keep Klink busy. Tap into his phone and call Gestapo headquarters in Gluckenheim.'  
'Call the Gestapo?'  
'Tell them you're a general. General Kinchmeyer, Gestapo Headquarters, Berlin. Push him around. You know the bit.'  
'Sure. Hello. This is General Kinchmeyer speaking. Why have you not reported the three men you had captured? Where are they? Schnell!'  
'That's very convincing. You know, I'm not so sure about you.'  
'This is all very amusing but it doesn't solve my main problem. I can't go into the tunnels tonight, Emily's wild dogs are sure to get me if she doesn't.'  
'Aloysius, you need to calm down. I'll go down and talk to Emily, see if I can't get her to at least allow you access to your bunk. Stay in your quarters and you should be okay.'  
'I'm not counting on anything Hogan but if you're game to risk being attacked, go right ahead.'  
'Emily knows I'm the only reason she's safe down there. She assaults me, I chase her out of the tunnels and the Germans catch her.'  
'And if she talks?'  
'With Newkirk's life in danger? Her first thought will be getting him out of wherever he's being held.'  
'If she can find him Colonel.'  
'Emily's a resourceful woman, she'll figure something out.'  
'Alright Aloysius, sit tight. I'll only be a minute.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Overhearing Hogan's offer to Schultz, Emily opened the ladder and climbed out, scaring the life out of Kinch and sending him scrambling out of the way.  
'You don't need Schultz Hogan, I can do it. My German is faultless, I know how to be as arrogant and forceful as a Colonel and have passed some pretty tight inspections.' she offered, darting into Hogan's quarters when the door opened again.  
'Colonel Hogan…'  
'Sorry Schultz, we found another way to do it. We won't need your assistance anymore.'  
'Well that's alright then.' Schultz nodded, turning and leaving the barracks.

Poking her head out again, Emily nodded faintly and relaxed a little as she stepped up beside Hogan. Kinch backed off again, keeping the table between them and hoping Emily didn't have a gun on her.  
'Emily, if this is going to work, I need to know you aren't going to exact revenge on Kinch.'  
'Hogan, my frustrations are with Knight. He knows Newkirk is important to me and yet instead of making a wise decision to ask him for help that lousy snake picked Kinch. No offence.'  
'None taken.' Kinch replied, returning to Hogan's side.  
'Well, alright then Emily. We'll get you measured up for a uniform and start putting this plan into action.'  
'Guess it's up to me to pinch a monocle then?'  
'Check Newkirk's footlocker, wouldn't surprise me if he's got a few in there.'  
'This is wrong on so many levels.' Emily sighed, walking over and opening the footlocker.

Digging through the confiscated belongings, Emily found what she needed and smoothed the few spare clothes Peter had back into place before closing the lid and rising, slotting her new monocle into place quickly.  
'Either Newkirk is smarter than I first thought or Klink's monocles are nothing more than glass.' she mused, straightening up and trying to get into a suitable headspace.  
'Problem Emily?' Hogan asked, registering someone in her face as trouble.  
'Yeah, I don't know enough about Klink's ways to pull this off. Colonel, can you slip this into his office?' Emily sighed, holding out a small black device.  
'What is this Emily?'  
'A wireless video transmitter. The receiver is in my kit. I need to watch Klink and get into his headspace.'  
'Alright, I'll see what I can do. It's small enough to hide easily I suppose.'  
'This way forwards, I'm counting on you.'  
'I'll get it done Emily. Kinch, start getting those measurements, I'll go see Klink and get this in place.'  
'I'll just fetch the receiver.' Emily grinned, disappearing below.

Returning a few minutes later, she headed into Hogan's office and set the small unit up on the table, propping it to an angle she could see comfortably. Adjusting the settings carefully, she picked up the visual signals and nodded before tuning in the audio as well.  
'That'll do nicely. Alright Kinch, let's get this done.'  
'You've got it Emily. That's a nice bit of kit you've got there.'  
'Thanks, I've found it to be a very handy little gadget. All the footage from the transmitter will be recorded so if we need extra details to make the uniform perfect, we can get the information we need.'  
'Sounds like a good plan Emily. But the Gestapo has detection technology.'  
'Not to worry. I can remotely activate and deactivate my bug. No one will detect it. Provided Hogan hides it well enough.'  
'He'll do a good job there.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Donning her completed uniform for the first time, Emily wiped the smile off her face and adjusted her hat quickly, falling willingly into her new Klink mind frame and preparing for her role.  
'All set? Let's try it. Now, remember, I'm your captain. Kinch is Major Bernsdorf, Kommandant of Stalag 4. All set? Here we go.'  
'I am Kommandant Klink of Stalag 13.' Emily uttered, ready for a tough job.  
'Achtung! Colonel Klink!'

Mustering up all her arrogance and swagger, she strode from Hogan's quarters and got right up close to Kinch, testing his mettle as much as her acting skills.  
'Colonel Klink, welcome to Stalag 4. Heil Hitler.'  
'Heil Hitler. Major Bernsdorf, you are holding three of my prisoners. I demand their release at once!' she barked, barely even noticing the faint sting as she smacked her riding crop against one high boot.  
'Sir, without proper authority, I must deny your request.'  
'You dare to deny my request? I shall have you court-marshalled.' she continued, another slap against her boot and she made a mental note to work on forming a callous in that area.  
'Jawhol!'  
'Not bad Emily, not bad at all. Your accent is a little off though, you might need to spend a bit more time listening to Klink.'  
'Thanks Hogan, I thought I sounded a little high still.' Emily nodded, removing her hat and wiping the sweat from the band.  
'Alright, once more from the top.'

Forcing her voice down lower and digging deep for more arrogance and force, she returned to Hogan's quarters and took a moment before stepping out again in a full Klink snit.  
'Achtung! I am Colonel Klink. I demand that you stand at attention when I talk to you. Or I send you to the Russian front. You understand? Achtung! Attention!' she barked, forcing Hogan up and then chasing the other men in the barracks onto their feet.  
'Colonel Klink, I am Major Bernsdorf. Welcome to Stalag 4.'  
'Major, you are holding three off my prisoners. I demand their release at once!'  
'Sir, without proper authority I must deny your request.'  
'You dare to deny my request? I shall have you court-marshalled. Actually, Captain take down this man's name and have him transferred to the Russian front!'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.' Hogan replied, amazed by what Emily had come up with on her second run as Klink.

Removing her monocle and cap, Emily sighed and rolled her shoulders quickly, flying high on her success as Klink but if Hogan didn't think it was good enough, she'd keep working on it.  
'I gotta hand it to you Emily, you really know how to throw your weight around. Major Bernsdorf isn't going to know what hit him.'  
'You reckon its good enough to pass Hogan? There's a lot riding on this one.'  
'You start going on like that again and it's as good as done. I've organised transportation, we leave tonight.'  
'Whenever you're ready Hogan.' Emily grinned, heading down to wait in the tunnels until show time.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Snapping off a salute as they passed through the gates into Stalag 4, Emily had her game face on and ran through the plan in her mind to be absolutely certain of it. She had every intention of giving the boys what for after the job was done but for now she had to focus and get them out of a very sticky situation. Climbing down and following Hogan into the office, she set her swagger and lifted her chin, determined to make one hell of a shocking impression on this Major.  
'Achtung! Colonel Klink!'  
'Heil Hitler!' Emily called, getting her first look at Bernsdorf and making a judgement call on him.  
'Colonel Klink. Heil Hitler. It's a pleasure. We're honoured.'  
'I did not come here for a social call Major Bernsdorf.'  
'May I offer you some refreshment.'  
'Did I not just say I was not here for a social call?'  
'Of course Colonel, my apologies. What can I do for you?'  
'You have three of my prisoners. I would like that you release them at once. Captain, give him their names.'  
'Jawhol, Kommandant.' Hogan replied, reaching for his notebook. 'Antonio Calvelli, Jock McPherson, Heinrich Hilgenbecker.'  
'But these men were brought here by the Gestapo.'  
'I don't care about the Gestapo.'  
'It's very brave of you to say that.' Bernsdorf remarked, starting to look through his paperwork.  
'Doing great, keep it up.' Hogan uttered, careful to keep his voice real low.  
'I don't seem to have any written authority to release the men.'  
'Written authority!' Emily snapped, riding crop slamming into the desk.  
'Kommandant, it's hard to believe that your word is not enough.'  
'I know what you mean. I demand that you release the three prisoners at once!'  
'I must deny your request.'  
'Is that so? Well, perhaps some time at the Russian front…' Emily's threat was cut off by the ringing of Bernsdorf's telephone and Emily could only hope it was Kinch coming through for them.  
'Major Bernsdorf. Who?'  
'…'  
'Yes, he's here now.'  
'…'  
'But General Kinchmeyer, I have no written authority to release these men.'  
'…'  
'Heil Hitler, General.'

Glancing at Hogan again, Emily let out a quiet breath and cheered in her mind, one step closer to getting her boys out of trouble and safely back on their way home.  
'I have received orders to deliver these men to you. I will do so at once.'  
'I'm glad you see it my way.'  
'Alright, onto phase 2 now. Here's hoping those three don't give us any trouble.'  
'I doubt they will Captain, not once they know just who is here for them.'

Shouldering into her top coat again and doing it up as they left the kommandantur, Emily really had to fight to keep her face neutral as she donned her gloves and waited for the prisoners to be dragged out of whatever hole the Gestapo had dumped them. The moment she saw them, she crunched her foot down on the pin hidden in her left boot, forcing any happy thoughts out of her mind.  
'Halt! Here are your three prisoners.'  
'Danke Major.' Emily replied, making her way down the stairs and parading past the men so they knew what was going on. 'Put the prisoners into the truck at once.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Colonel. Inside.'  
'Hey look. Isn't that the terrible Colonel Hunmeister from Stalag 13?'  
'No, that's the terrible Colonel Klink from Stalag 13.'  
'Don't send us back there, Sir, please.'  
'No, it's inhuman.'  
'We were 'appy 'ere. We even 'ad a tunnel started.'  
'All right, raus! Inside the truck. You heard the order. Back! Back! Back!'  
'There you are Sir, the three prisoners.'  
'Very good.'  
'If you don't mind my saying so, it's a highly irregular way of conducting military business.'  
'Who do you think you are talking to?'  
'But…'  
'I will tell you who you are talking to. I am the famous Colonel Klink. The Iron Colonel.'  
'Sir, might I remind you that we are pressed for time.'  
'Of course Captain, danke. Heil Hitler.' Emily replied, snapping off another salute before turning and heading for the truck.  
'You must come visit us sometime.'  
'Captain, we must be going.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.'  
'No one says a word until we are out of this camp. Got it.' Emily snarled, glancing back at the trio behind her as Hogan climbed behind the wheel and started the truck.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Once they were clear of the gates and heading back to the rendezvous, Emily turned in her seat and tipped her cap back, giving the three rescued men her angriest glare.  
'Thanks for the save luv, we owe you for this.'  
'What were you three fucking thinking. It's like a really bad fucking joke. Three men are standing by a patrolled road, an American, a Brit and a Frenchman. Did it not occur to any of you numbskulls to get out of fucking sight?' she spat, slapping Peter's hand off her shoulder and poking him in the head with her riding crop.  
'It was all Carter's fault Emily, he's the one who got us lost.'  
'And he forced you two dropkicks to stand right where a German patrol could find you? You're even thicker than Schultz's waist if you think I'll believe that Newkirk.'  
'Why's it always my fault?' Carter asked, wisely moving away from Emily's storming anger.  
'You're the one that was supposed to keep track of the way home.' LeBeau replied, also backing away from Emily.  
'We all know Carter makes mistakes. Did it not occur to either of you fools to keep your own check on the way home? A spare compass? A pace count? Night-time navigation? Tell me you aren't really that stupid.'  
'Aloysius was supposed to be our backup. Then he went to look for the way home and we waited for him where Carter couldn't make things worse.' LeBeau offered, wishing he knew what to say to calm Emily's raging temper.  
'Instead you two screwed things up by standing where any random kraut could find you. Carter made a mistake, you pair really fucked things up. Do you have any idea what we had to do to get Schultz to turn a blind eye and report you three as present?'  
'Is it really that bad Gov'nor?'  
'Believe me Newkirk, you don't want to know. Let's just say Schultz is going to be looking for a big payout and you three are footing the bill alone. No point complaining, everyone else agreed to the deal.'  
'So I guess I won't be sneaking into the tunnels for any special time tonight?' Newkirk sighed, slumping back against the side of the tray.  
'Not for a long time to come Newkirk. Impersonating a fellow prisoner is one thing, I could be shot for this insanity. You know the Gestapo are going to be sniffing about camp tomorrow.'  
'But you promised…'  
'Newkirk, shut up before I really give you something to complain about. Yeah, I said I'd keep you out of trouble but when you make stupid fucking mistakes like this I can't be sticking my neck out. You ain't the only man looking to me for help, I run a lot of missions as a go between for Hogan and the underground. Now shut up, all of you. I do not want to hear another sound from any of you.' Emily barked, turning away from the men and resettling her hat.  
'Feel any better now Emily?'  
'Somewhat but I'm still especially pissed at Knight. Coward hasn't come out of hiding since he got back to camp after his fuckup.'  
'Would you be this steamed if Newkirk hadn't been captured? Hypothetically speaking of course.'  
'You mean if it was Kinch, LeBeau and Carter? Yeah, I'd still be steamed about it. In the time I've been living under Stalag 13, I've come to see you guys as my family. A little bit crazy, a little weird but still loveable in your own ways.'  
'I find it hard to believe you'd take insane risks for just anyone Emily. You don't seem that kind of woman.'  
'Not just anyone Hogan, only those I consider family. Sometimes family is more of a duty than anything fun but I wouldn't change them for the world. I still wonder how I ever got hauled into this particularly weird family but then I realise it doesn't matter.'

Falling quiet, Emily felt her anger dissipate and risked a glance over her shoulder. Carter was curled up between his friends, head on LeBeau's lap and Peter's jacket over his shoulders as he tried to rest. Caught off guard by the descending wave of guilt, she unfastened her coat and worked out of it before handing it to the trio in the back. A little wary about another outburst, Peter eased forward and took the warmer coat, draping it over Carter before pulling his own jacket on and huddling up against the cold.  
'I overdid it a little, didn't I Hogan?'  
'It's only understandable Emily, I know you haven't been feeling your usual best lately.'  
'That doesn't excuse my actions and words. I'm still steamed at Aloysius but that's no reason to do my block at anyone else.'  
'You know how sensitive Carter is, he's still so young and innocent about the true pains in the world. He gets it wrong from time to time, we all make mistakes. The important thing is you realised your mistake before things got any worse.'  
'doesn't take away the guilt Hogan, I'm just so used to living a life where even the smallest mistake could be fatal that I don't do well with anyone around me making dangerous mistakes either. I kept telling myself that I wouldn't get attached to you guys. I'd stay out of the way, get on with finding my way home and not care what happened to the guys living overhead. I couldn't do it though. You all wormed into my heart and set up homes, refusing to leave no matter how hard I pushed you to go. Now I'm in a situation I've never been in before. Surrounded by people I consider brothers, trying to keep you all safe but also restricted by what I know the future must be. I'd love nothing more than to make my way to Berlin and assassinate Hitler personally but I can't, the timeline must match what I was taught in school.'

Listening to Emily's concerns, Peter checked Carter was sleeping soundly before moving forward to sit behind Hogan and Emily, waiting for them to acknowledge he'd moved closer.  
'Never have been any good with people, that's why I got the boot out of the military. Tried working with a partner but after the fifth one died, I gave up hope on that idea too. So I went Lone Wolf, figuring I could only depend on myself when things got tight. Served me well for years, I never had a problem but then I got dragged into this situation. I just…damnit, I can't be the feared Black Hunter in this place. My reputation back home don't matter, I couldn't scare Schultz with the mere mention of my name.'  
'Black 'unter?' Newkirk asked, ready to scramble clear but he didn't feel too threatened.  
'My hunting name. All my competitors knew they would have trouble bagging a bounty when the Black Hunter is on the loose. Now that means nothing, I don't have the intimidation factor to fall back on and that worries me deeply.'  
'You don't 'ave to be intimidating around 'ere Emily. We know what you're capable of, we've seen your demonstrations enough to know. When I first met you, I thought for sure you were gonna blow me 'ead off and make a run for it. We all know that we 'ave no claim to your loyalty, there is nothing binding you to Stalag 13. But no, you accepted a 'and of friendship and made a 'ome, bringing joy to men who 'ave 'ad no reason to smile for many months. Isn't that worth something Emily?' Peter offered, shuffling over and slowly draping his arms around her shoulders. 'So what if you can't intimidate people? You've got something better. You've got a group of guys that respect and adore you for what you've done just by choosing to stay in camp.'  
'Oh Peter, I'm sorry.' Emily whispered, reaching up to wrap her hands around his wrists gently.  
'I'm not blaming you luv, you're under a lot of stress lately.' he offered, head on her shoulder as he relaxed.  
'You're still not getting any for a while.'  
'Figured as much. You really should apologise to Carter, you know how sensitive he can be.'  
'I will Peter but for now let him rest. We'll be at the rendezvous soon, don't wake him.'  
'Don't…what are you thinking Emily?'  
'You'll see when we stop.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Emerging from the tunnel, Emily accepted Carter back from Newkirk and carried him to his bunk, placing him down with such tenderness. Crouching beside the bunk, she gently removed his boots and put them close to hand before removing his jacket and hanging it up where it belonged. Tucking him in quickly, she hung up his hat and brushed his hair off his forehead, a tender smile on her face.  
'Sleep well Andrew, your guardian angel has the watch tonight. Sweet dreams, I hope they take you home.' she whispered, a new, maternal side showing as she kissed his forehead and tugged the blanket up a little more.

Leaving Carter to sleep, she padded quietly over to LeBeau's bunk and pulled his blanket up, apologising for her harsh words with tender words and a loving hand. Smiling tiredly, LeBeau watched as Emily hung up his jacket, scarf and beret before kneeling beside his bunk and touching his cheek.  
'Good night Louis, sweet dreams. Tonight your guardian angel will protect you.' she grinned, kissing his forehead and tucking him in as he drifted off to sleep.

Watching from his doorway, Hogan smiled softly as Emily did her rounds through the barracks, tucking in her charges and whispering kind words to them all. He only saw flashes of her path as the searchlights poked through the gaps in the walls but what he saw was enough to convince him of a new change in Emily. No one missed out, they were all loved and treated the same by their new guardian angel. Dark though it was, Emily was confident of her route and never ran into anything, proof she'd been doing this for longer than Hogan expected.

Her familiar circuit nearly complete, Emily climbed up to Newkirk's bunk and hung his jacket before tucking him in and kissing his forehead. Smiling in his sleep, Peter shifted and burrowed into the imagined warmth, content in his dreams and hopefully thinking of home. She stood there and watched him for a moment, her hand resting on his just outside his blanket. Eventually she guided his hand out of sight and smoothed out the blanket, whispering something in his ear before climbing down. 

Turning at last to Hogan's quarters, she listened at the door for a moment before turning the knob and slipping inside. A little surprised that Emily would come into his quarters in the night, Hogan pretended to be asleep and let Emily tuck him in and do a little straightening up before she stood beside his bunk and touched his shoulder.  
'Sleep free Colonel, your shoulders carry the greatest weight, I know. Dream of home and family as your guardian angel watches over you and your men tonight.' she uttered, hand moving up to touch his hair for a moment before she left the room.

Standing in the middle of the barracks, Emily listened to her boys snoring peacefully and smiled as she settled at the table to sit watch. She knew the dangers of sitting watch from here but nothing would persuade her to leave. A second tiny spy cam was now outside the door, she'd asked Kinch to position it while they were gone. So she sat and kept watch over her men, a smaller display screen strapped inside her wrist giving her fair warning of Schultz's approach. The moment she saw him, she shot under the nearest bunk and hugged the floorboards, face down and breathing light so she wasn't caught out. He came in, counted the men and left quietly, a faint smile on his face when he found LeBeau, Newkirk and Carter in their bunks again. Leaving as quietly as he came, Schultz never knew about the extra body in the barracks, a guardian angel in the guise of a warrior woman.

Sliding out of her hiding place, Emily stood and made her rounds, chasing away nightmares with a gentle touch and tucking blankets again so her charges didn't get cold. The imagined warmth was good, helping the guys relax and sleep deep, unaware of Emily's tender side as they dreamed of home and snored in a wide chorus. Sitting quietly at the table, Emily had plenty of time to think about her actions and the harsh words she'd said. She regretted them immensely, her temper always got the better of her when she was nervous or scared. Tomorrow she'd find another way to make up for what she'd said but for now she had time to think and reflect on her time in the camp so far.

Catching a soft whimper from one of the bunks, Emily stood and made her way to the source of the sound, right hand landing gently on Kinch's shoulder. An active sleeper, he'd kicked his blanket off and now shivered, starting to stir from his sleep. Snagging his blanket again, Emily pulled it over his body and tucked it in again, soothing him back to sleep without a word to damage the peace settled in the barracks. Shifting again, Kinch snuggled into the returned warmth and sighed in his sleep, dropping back into pleasant dreams.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Watching the sunrise through her spy cameras, Emily smiled and got to work again, putting on the coffee and stoking up the fire again. She'd kept it going all night for the men, never letting it get high enough to raise suspicion, just enough to keep the barracks a little warmer than the rest of the camp. Rounding up the coffee mugs quickly, she set them up on the table and waited, confident the aroma of fresh coffee would draw the men from their rest. Thinking for a moment longer, she dug out her emergency kettle from the stockpile under the bunks and put it on to heat as well, figuring Peter would enjoy a fresh cup of tea whenever he stirred.

Stirring slowly, LeBeau lifted his head and blinked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and smiling as Emily walked over to sit beside him.  
'Bonjour monsieur LeBeau.' she greeted, offering out a steaming mug as he sat up properly.  
'Bonjour mademoiselle Hunter.' he replied, accepting the mug and smiling at her.  
'I take it you slept well.'  
'Very well Emily. Have you been here all night?'  
'I promised I'd keep watch. Don't worry, Schultz never saw me all night. I saw him coming without even needed to stand by the door.'  
'But how?'  
'There is a small video camera outside the door, watching for anyone approaching. Here, see for yourself.' Emily grinned, removing the monitor from her wrist and letting LeBeau take a look.  
'This is very clever Emily.'  
'Merci. I do not know what Hogan's plan is for today. Without a doubt the Gestapo will come looking for you but I'm not sure what he'll suggest about you three staying out of sight.'  
'Whatever his plan, it will be good. Thank you again for what you did last night. Emily, we owe you a great deal.'  
'Non, you owe me nothing Louie. You are family, I will do anything for family.'  
'Have you spoken to Carter yet?'  
'No, he's still fast asleep. I'll talk to him later, when I can get him alone.'  
'Very well. I'll make a start on breakfast.' LeBeau nodded, handing back the monitor and slipping on his boots.

Pottering around the barracks as the men stirred and sat up slowly, Emily took the time to share a few moments with each one individually, pressing mugs into the hands and getting them to smile. Checking her wrist monitor, Emily nodded and stopped beside the stove again, smile widening when Peter lifted his head and looked around slowly. Adding a drop of something special to his tea, Emily swept behind LeBeau and climbed up to offer Peter the mug, grinning as he sat up and gratefully accepted the chipped ceramic mug.  
'You're up 'ere early Emily.' he mused, sipping his tea and waking up slowly.  
'Never left last night. I kept my watch as I should and Schultz has no idea.'  
'And Carter?'  
'Still lost in his sweet dreams. Had to tuck him in a couple times through the night but he's alright.'  
'And Schultz had no idea you were here all night?'  
'Every time I saw him getting close to the door, I hid under the nearest bunk. He's got no idea.' Emily grinned, checking her monitor again. 'Speaking of which, gotta go. There's a small bundle in your greatcoat pocket, give it to Schultz.' she uttered, climbing down and rolling under Carter's bunk.

Opening the door to the barracks, Schultz couldn't believe what he was seeing. Most of the men were awake and getting ready for the day, steaming mugs scattered everywhere.  
'Morning Schultzie. Shh, don't wake Carter just yet. 'E 'ad a rough night last night.' Peter uttered, jumping down and checking Carter was still asleep. 'Bad nightmares.'  
'Roll call is not for another hour and a half, I just came to make sure everyone was here.'  
'Well in that case. I 'ave something for you.' Peter nodded, grabbing his greatcoat and pulling out a neatly wrapped bundle. 'Payment for not telling Klink about our little situation yesterday.'  
'What is it?' Schultz asked, taking the bundle and looking at it.  
'It's a surprise.'  
'I'll open it later Newkirk. Just promise you will not go doing anything like that again.'  
'I promise Schultzie. Yesterday was more than enough warning for me about tangling with the Gestapo.'  
'Very well. I will return for roll call.'

Waiting until the door closed again, Emily checked the coast was clear and tapped Peter's ankle, getting him out of the way so she could roll clear and stand.  
'What was in that little bundle Emily?'  
'Currency, chocolate and a couple of small bottles of very fine bourbon. If that's not enough to keep him quiet, I've got a couple more little packages like that to give him.'  
'But I thought we were supposed to foot the bill.'  
'Changed my mind. Now shh, you'll wake Andrew.'  
'Don't want that now. Thanks again for last night Emily.' Peter nodded, stroking her cheek lightly before taking a seat at the table and sipping his tea.  
'Don't mention it Peter, seriously. I am not about to make a habit of doing that.'  
'Wouldn't expect it luv.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Perching beside Carter, Emily eased the blanket down off his head a little and touched his cheek, hand sliding down to squeeze his shoulder lightly before she gently shook him.  
'Andrew, time to wake up. Come on Andrew, breakfast is ready.' she coaxed, shaking him again and brushing his hair out of his eyes. He groaned and shifted in his sleep, not wanting to wake up just yet. Rising from his deep slumber, he smelt the fresh coffee and his breakfast waiting for him and blinked slowly, lifting his head from the lumpy mattress.  
'Wha…how'd I get back here?' he asked, looking around the barracks in confusion.  
'You fell asleep in the truck back to camp. I carried you home from the rendezvous point.' Emily explained, smiling softly as he looked at her. 'I didn't mean those things I said last night, I was angry at Aloysius and worried about you three.'  
'It's alright Emily, I forgive you. This is a nice way to wake up.' Andrew grinned, sitting up a little more and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 'Better than Schultz yelling and banging on the bunks.'  
'Then I'll make sure you have a nice wake up call every morning Andrew. Come on, breakfast is waiting for you.' Emily promised, getting to her feet and taking a seat at the table. Stretching as he stood, Andrew joined the group at the table and accepted his plate from LeBeau as Emily put a coffee in front of him.

Glancing at her monitor, Emily gulped and shot off the bench, vanishing under the bunks just as Schultz opened the door and looked at the group sitting around the table having breakfast.  
'Roll call is in ten minutes.'  
'We'll be there Schultzie. I'll go wake the Colonel.' Kinch replied, grabbing the spare coffee mug and heading to wake Hogan.  
'Kommandant Klink is in a very bad mood. The Gestapo are accusing him of taking three of their prisoners last night.'  
'Schultz, perhaps it would be wise if Newkirk, LeBeau and Carter didn't make an appearance for morning roll call. Remember what we talked about yesterday?' Hogan suggested, emerging from his quarters with coffee mug in hand.  
'Perhaps you are right Colonel Hogan. If they are not here, the Gestapo have no reason to stay or cause trouble for Kommandant Klink.'  
'Exactly. So you didn't see them here, did you?'  
'I see nothing. Nothing.'  
'Thanks Schultz. Here, take this with my thanks.' LeBeau grinned, handing him a package nearly identical to the one Newkirk had found.  
'Danke LeBeau. I will open this later.' Schultz nodded, hiding the bundle in his pocket.  
'Enjoy Schultz. I make you some strudel later.'  
'Ohh, strudel. Danke again.'  
'All right Schultz, we'll be out there in a minute. Just let the guys get dressed and ready for the day.'  
'I will be right outside.'

Scrambling back out from her hiding spot once everyone else had filed outside, Emily set up her larger monitor and switched to the barracks camera to watch the situation outside. Gathering around her, Carter, LeBeau and Newkirk watched the Gestapo officer moving through the lines of men, searching for them.  
"I told you sir that they are not here."  
"Calvelli, McPherson, und Hilgenbecker."  
"There has never been an escape from Stalag 13."  
"Then I suggest that someone is making a fool of you, Colonel."  
"Impossible."  
"What's done is done."  
"The fact remains that an officer calling himself Colonel Klink came to Stalag 4 and took those men."  
"Now I was here all last night in my quarters listening to the BBC. I mean, the BBC symphony. I have them on records."  
"The man was around six feet tall, weight 175 pounds, with very military bearing."  
"Well that certainly is not me. And we have no such officer in our camp."  
"Very well. But I assure you the investigation will be continued."  
"The nerve of him."  
'Classic Emily, absolutely classic. You've got the Gestapo chasing their tails.' LeBeau praised, squeezing her shoulder.  
'They'll never figure that one out. The spare uniform has been added to the collection below.'  
'Very nicely done Emily. You really pulled us out of the fire this time.' Peter agreed, head on her shoulder.  
'Just don't get into this sort of trouble again. I don't think I'll be able to fool the Gestapo twice.'  
'We'll be careful Emily and I won't ever get lost again. Rufus gave me this.' Carter nodded, handing over his watch. Looking at it closely, Emily saw the trick and grinned. One side of the face was a standard watch, nothing special there but flip the watch over and on the back was a small compass, perfect for night time escapes.  
'This will do nicely Carter. Just don't forget to keep it on.' she agreed, handing the watch back and nodding as Carter buckled it around his wrist, watch face up.  
'I'll never take it off except when I'm in the shower Emily.'  
'Good man.'


	10. How To Cook A German Goose With Radar

Struggling with her laughter when the boys put her cheeky little gag into action, Emily crawled out from under the bunks and grinned, Aloysius emerging from his hiding spot and adjusting the monitor on his wrist. He was still sporting a rather impressive black eye from his fist fight with Emily over the capture of Newkirk, Carter and LeBeau but the hatchet had been buried and they were getting along somewhat better.  
'I still can't believe you guys went along with the Bronx cheer plan.' she mused, pouring a coffee and shaking her head in wonder.  
'You sure come up with the goods Emily.' Kinch replied, busy folding up their laundry with Newkirk.  
'I've still got plenty of pranks in the bag too Kinch, just you wait and see.'  
'All right, fellas, knock it off. Give me your attention. I've got news for you.' Hogan called, entering the barracks and looking around.  
'Don't tell me the ruddy war's over, we've got to leave this rest home.'  
'No. There's a new prisoner coming in today.'  
'I hope he's French. I'm to hear someone speak French again.'  
'I'll help you out. Bonjour mademoiselle from Arrenteers.'  
'From Arrenteers.'  
'LeBeau, all you had to do was ask. I speak fluent French.' Emily shrugged, grinning at Carter.  
'Listen. Listen. He's an American. His name is Corporal Walter Tillman. I want a security alert until we find out more about him.'  
'You think he might be a plant?'  
'Not necessarily, it's just the usual precaution. Aloysius, back in the tunnel with you. Emily, your choice up or down. We've got Schultz used to seeing an extra RAF Corporal in here.'  
'Like you'd get rid of me that easily.' Emily smirked, heading for the false bottom bunk and catching the blue bundle Aloysius threw up to her before closing the hatch.

Darting into Hogan's office, she changed quickly and slid into a random British personality that she'd been creating for just these situations. Less cockney than Peter but not as pompous as Crittendon, she turned into Corporal Matthew Hunter, a belly gunner shot down near Düsseldorf and a very good friend of Newkirk's. Tucking her hat in her belt, she straightened her jacket and pulled out the makeup pencil she always kept in her pocket. Gazing into Hogan's mirror, she traced a long scar down her left cheek, a reminder of the plane she'd been in when shot down. Satisfied with her look, she left the office and rejoined the group, accepting the mug Newkirk was holding out for her.  
'Hey, looks like they might be bringing him in now.'  
'Let's have a look.'

Piling out of the barracks, Emily stuck close to Newkirk and watched the truck driving in, keen eyes missing nothing without seeming to be watching anything.  
'Ain't exactly a spring chicken, is 'e? Come on 'unter, let's go say 'ello.'  
'Right with ya Newkirk.'  
'That's the oldest looking Corporal I've ever seen.'  
'What's after Corporal in your army?'  
'For him? Social security.'

Now came the trick, fooling Klink and Schultz up close and getting away clean before they realised just how easily they were being fooled and by a woman at that.  
''Ow are you? I'm Newkirk and this is me mate 'unter.' Peter greeted, offering his hand.  
'Another American. I say, this camp is showing a real slant towards you.' Emily added, also shaking hands.  
'Newkirk, go away. Please don't make any trouble. LeBeau, Carter, go away. Achtung! Make way for the Kommandant!'  
'So this is the new prisoner? Hogan, it looks as if the Americans have scraped the bottom of the manpower barrel.'  
'I noticed it took four men to bring him in. Think of the trouble you're gonna have with the younger ones.' Hogan shot back, much to everyone else's amusement.  
'Silence! Corporal, I run this camp with an iron hand. There has never been an escape and all rules and regulations will be obeyed to an umlaut! Is that not so Hogan?'  
'Anything you say, Colonel. Let's have a cheer for the Kommandant.' Hogan agreed, another chorus of vocal farts ringing out from the gang around Klink.  
'Thank you. Thank you.'  
'Come on pop, I'll show you where you sleep.'

With a master's hand, Emily lifted Schultz's helmet from his head and watched him walk before he realised what had happened and started looking for his helmet.  
'Now that's not really cricket Newkirk.' she remarked, dumping the helmet on his head and racing for the barracks.  
''unter, I'm going to get you for that.' Newkirk promised, removing Schultz's helmet. ''Ere you are Schultz. You'll be losing your 'ead next.' he added, handing over the helmet before racing after Emily. Watching for a moment, Emily picked her chance and ducked just as Newkirk went to tackle her. Letting out a yelp, he shot through the open door and landed in a sprawled heap, much to Emily's amusement. She was standing in the doorway laughing her head off as Newkirk stood and snatched up his cap.  
''unter, I swear…'  
'Alright you two, settle down. I will never understand how you two survived on a bomber together.' Hogan sighed, shaking his head as Emily poured them both a cup of tea and leant back against the wall. 'That one's yours, pop.'  
'Okay, Hogan.'  
'It's Colonel Hogan.'  
'Yeah? Well I'll remember that.'  
'What outfit were you with, pop?'  
'605th Engineers, attached to the 82nd Airborne. And don't ask me any questions about baseball. Any German spy knows more about it than I do.'  
'You know how it is, pop. Can't be too careful.'  
'Yeah. I know. And knock it off with that "pop" routine will you?'  
'If that's the way you want it.'  
'That's the way I want it.'  
'Hey look, American cigarettes.'  
'Give me those.' that got everyone annoyed, no one talked to Carter like that and got away with it. 'It's the only pack I got.'  
'Yeah, well, there's a war on.'  
'Tillman, didn't your mother teach you anything about sharing?'  
'Maybe 'is mother doesn't know 'e smokes.'  
'Maybe we should take his cigarettes away so his mother won't be unhappy.'  
'Yeah, that's what we ought to do.'  
'It'd teach him for trying to bully our mate Carter.' Emily agreed, putting her mug down and advancing.  
'Don't start anything. Someone might get hurt.'  
'What gave you that idea, pop?'  
'Knock it off. Go take a shower, Tillman.'

Watching the older man leave, Emily frowned and scratched her chin, not at all liking what she was picking up from him. There was something in the way he walked, spoke and acted that just didn't sit well with her.  
'What's with that guy?'  
'He's a bad apple, Colonel. I bet you were right about him. I'll bet you anything he's a spy.'  
'And we know how to take care of monsieur spy.'  
'Let me have the honours LeBeau, I know how to assassinate silently and leave no trace of the killer.' Emily offered, patting her knife through her jacket.  
'I don't know.'  
'Do you think he's all right, Colonel?'  
'No, he's all wrong. No spy would start off by antagonizing everybody.'  
'I don't trust him.'  
'Me, too.'  
'Emily, what's your take on him? You're good at reading people.'  
'I don't like him Colonel, there's something he's not telling us. I can't put my finger on it but he's bluffing on something. Want me to try and find out more?'  
'No Emily, I've got another plan. Gentlemen, I don't think Corporal Tillman has the proper social qualifications for our group. Not that I want to be a snob, mind you.'  
'No, of course not.'  
'But I think for the good of all we ought to have him shipped to another camp.'  
'Nothing to it. Just put him in for a transfer, I suppose.'  
'That's right. That's exactly how it's gonna be done.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

In on the remove Tillman operation but determined to take a back seat, Emily jumped into action with the rest of the crew to put the gasoline loaded paper into the trash bin outside Klink's office, drawing Newkirk into a silly little game until every piece was ready to go.  
'Hi LeBeau. Got a match?'  
'Oui mon Colonel.'  
'You soak the papers good?'  
'Did I soak the papers good? Can't you smell the gasoline?'

Moving away from the loaded trash bin, Emily waited for showtime, ready to leap into action but not showing that she was wound up and looking for a direction to fly. Pulling Newkirk another few steps away from the bin, LeBeau leaned up to whisper something in his ear as Hogan threw his lit match into the bin. The moment the flames took hold, Emily took flight towards the nearest water barrel as her friends took up the warning call.  
'Fire! Fire! Fire!'  
'Grab a bucket!' Emily barked, throwing a spare bucket at Newkirk and shoving hers into the nearest barrel. Racing back to the flames, she kept her head down and dumped the first bucket, Kinch and Newkirk running with her to get the fire out.  
'How did this fire start?'  
'It was an accident, Sir. I'm sorry.'  
'It was an accident?'  
'Accident? Colonel, you know that wasn't an accident.'  
'Quiet, Kinch! He doesn't know what he's talking about.'  
'I think he does. Kinch, what do you know about this fire?'  
'I know nothing. Nothing.'  
'See?'  
'I do not see. We're going to discuss this in my office.' turning and heading after Klink, Hogan dropped his cigarette into the water bucket LeBeau was holding and vanished inside.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Getting in on another mission from Hogan, Emily watched out for LeBeau and Newkirk as they sabotaged the truck to try and keep the General around for long enough to pull off the mission. Then she saw something else that might cause a problem and waved Newkirk over to her side.  
'Keep watch, I've got a job to do.' she uttered, glancing over her shoulder again.  
'Go Emily.' Peter nodded, taking his post at the gate and keeping watch as Emily ran over to the motorbike, pulling something from under her jacket. Leaning over the bike, she got to work sabotaging the machine, cutting wires and crossing them over to really foul up the operation. Digging into her pocket quickly, she pulled out a small bag of something and poured it into the gas tank before screwing the cap back on and racing away. Tapping Peter on the shoulder as she passed, Emily led the group back towards the barracks, loaded down with the supplies they'd pinched for General Walters.

Entering the barracks, Peter put the bucket up on the table and sighed, shaking his head slowly as Hogan reached into the bucket.  
'You couldn't find anything? I thought for sure you'd be able to find a small telescope.'  
'Sorry Gov'nor, I looked everywhere and came up empty.'  
'What about you Hunter, can you pull something out of your kit?'  
'I might be able to Gov'nor but can the General be trusted with the secret?'  
'We have to trust him; he's got as much to risk as anyone else. He's got a vital mission, you know that.'  
'Alright Gov'nor, I'll return the trust.' Emily nodded, removing her cap and dropping her cover. 'General Walters, I am Emily Hunter. For your own safety, do not ask where my technology comes from and say nothing of what you witness when you leave.'  
'A woman in an all-male prison camp? What foolishness is this?'  
'It's a long story General, one we simply don't have time to tell. She'll only be here a little bit longer before reassignment.' Hogan offered, turning back to Emily. 'So do you have what we need?'  
'Yeah, but I can do you one better than a telescope. I've got a digital rangefinder, combines a compass and telescope in one small unit. It'll only take a few minutes to find it.' she nodded, thinking for a moment before pulling out one of her bundles and digging through it.  
'I've got the wire and I've cut it into 50-foot pieces, like you said.'  
'Good. How's it going over there?'  
'Got it. No offence General but I can't let you have total control of this unit. It takes a trained operator to use it and we haven't the time to bring you up to speed. You need to trust me on this; I'll get the info you need.'  
'Alright Hunter, it'll have to do.' Walters nodded, gazing at the small device in Emily's hands.  
'What about Schultz?'  
'There's a very unhappy man, Sir. It seems 'e 'ad to transfer a firebug to Stalag 18 and the truck wouldn't start.'  
'What a shame. What's wrong with the truck?'  
'I think it was a lot of sand in the crankcase.'  
'And some little rocks in the gearbox.'  
'Good heavens! How could a thing like that happen?'  
'I don't know.'  
''aven't got a clue.'  
'Don't look at me; I had nothing to do with it.' Emily smirked, warning Newkirk to shut up about the bike just yet.  
'But it's funny 'ow coincidences sort of pile up, ain't it?'  
'You know, I'd hate to be in a war with you guys on the other side.'  
'You don't know the half of it General.' Emily winked, replacing her cap and secreting the small rangefinder in her jacket.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Following the instructions from Walters, Emily lifted out her rangefinder and turned slowly to get the bearing she'd been given to locate.  
'Okay, that's 120 degrees.'  
'120 degrees.'  
'Now, 42 degrees left.'  
'42 degrees left.' Emily nodded, swinging her angle back to locate the new bearing.  
'Get a bearing.'  
'Alright. Got it.'  
'Now, fifty feet on this line.'  
'Carter, LeBeau. Give us about fifty feet of line.'  
'Okay Carter, get going.' Emily uttered, holding steady as Carter moved out to get their measurement. Watching him find his distance, Emily waved him over to the left a little more, guiding him until he was right on her bearing line. 'Okay Carter, stop. That's perfect.'  
'Pull in your line LeBeau.'  
'Right.'

Hearing Schultz calling for Hogan, Emily hit the save data switch and hid her rangefinder just as Schultz rounded the corner and came upon the group.  
'Colonel Hogan, I've been looking for you.'  
'I can't stop to talk right now Schultz, I'm busy.'  
'I have to take the prisoner to Stalag 18 right away.'  
'What's the rush?'  
'I'll tell you what's the rush. Kommandant Klink thinks he's already there.'  
'What are you planning on using for transportation Schultz? The truck isn't working.'  
'But the motorcycle is.'  
'Motorcycle?'  
'Sorry Colonel.'  
'Don't worry Colonel, it won't go for long.' Emily uttered, figuring Schultz would get three minutes driving time before her crossed wires and tank jammer would trash the bike.  
'I'm glad. First, I have to see that he has no matches.'  
'It's terrible seeing you so suspicious, Schultz. What difference does an hour make?'  
'I'll tell you what difference makes. If Kommandant Klink finds out that he's still here I could be on my way to the Russian front in an hour.'  
'Here comes Klink.'

Reshuffling the group to hide the General in the mass of bodies, Rufus grinned and tucked the shorter man behind him quickly, figuring he made the best shield for such an important figure.  
'What is going on here? What is going on?'  
'Furthermore, I'm not going to put up with this sloppy discipline and laxness any longer. Now shape up or get out.'  
'Get out? Where?'  
'Figure of speech. Now, look, I want to see you guys all clean-shaven. I want to see those boots shined. I want to see a little pride. Remember, we're all prisoners of the Third Reich. Let's try to live up to it.'  
'Very good, Hogan. You sound almost like a German officer.'  
'Coming from you, Kommandant, that's high praise.'  
'I said almost. Schultz, let's go.'  
'Something we can do for you Schultz?' Rufus asked, keeping Walters out of sight as Schultz looked over his shoulder. The portly guard snarled and walked off, worried for his future.  
'All right, now let's get cracking. Where's Tillman?'  
'Here Colonel, safe and sound.' Rufus replied, nudging him forward again.  
'Nice going Colonel.'  
'All right, we're running out of time.'  
'Check that last reading.'  
'Still got it Sir, it's all saved on this little device.' Emily grinned, fishing out her rangefinder and heading back to their barracks to plot their course and find their last objective.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Celebrating the successful placing of the radar unit, Rufus watched Emily safely tuck her rangefinder out of sight and nudge the bundle back under the bunk where it belonged.  
'Here's to you, General.'  
'Thank you.'  
'Cheers.'  
'We were saving this champagne for a special occasion but I can't think of a more special occasion than this.'  
'In 27-and-a-half minutes, I just wish I could stay for the show.'  
'It's too dangerous. We'll have Sergeant Olsen take you to the pickup point so Schultz can't wander in and transfer you.'  
'Well, I suppose you're right.'  
'All right, fellows, get this stuff out of here.'  
'I'll do it right away, Colonel.'  
'Wait a minute. Hold it. Who tied this knot?'  
'I did. It broke and I tried it together. What's wrong with that?'  
'Let me see that.'  
'Don't tell me we have to go move that damn thing.' Rufus sighed, not really wanting to go messing around again.  
'That'll make it six inches shorter. When did this happen?'  
'On the last measurement.'  
'That means that radar unit has got to be moved six inches more to the left.'  
'Will a six-inch error make that much difference?'  
'Well, considering the distance of the radar signal to the target it could mean an error of around 2000 yards at the drop.'  
'We got to get you out of here. So I'll take care of it. We'll move the radar signal.'  
'Okay, it's up to you Hogan. And remember, 26 minutes.'  
'Yes, Sir. Good luck. Don't worry about it. We'll be able to do it.'  
'Thank you.'  
'Pop.'  
'Remember General, no one can know I am here. This is all very secret.' Emily warned, finishing her drink and standing.  
'I won't say a word Hunter, promise.' Tillman nodded, climbing into the tunnel and making his getaway.  
'So what's the plan Colonel?' Rufus asked, always interested to know what strange plans Hogan came up with.  
'Newkirk and Hunter with me, the rest of you go stand in front of the guard tower where the radar unit is situated. You'll figure out what I need you to do.' Hogan winked, heading for the door.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Milling around outside, no one had any idea what Hogan was planning but whatever it was, it was sure to be a very interesting to witness and another great success for the team.  
'It's like Petticoat Lane on a Sunday.'  
'We haven't got a chance. The whole German army is here.' Emily agreed, looking around at the guards.  
'Newkirk, you got your pencil sharpener with you?'  
'I'd feel undressed without it, Sir.'  
'Think you can get the tyre on that car from here?'  
'Nothing to it.'  
'Go ahead and don't miss.'

Drawing the small knife from inside his jacket, Newkirk lined up his shot and let fly, the deadly little dagger slamming into the type with a great bang.  
'Newkirk, I'm sick and tired of your horseplay with the knives! I've just about had it with you.'  
'I saw that!'  
'Here Colonel, this is exactly six inches.' Emily muttered, pressing a short stick into his hand. 'Don't lose it, it's part of a set.'  
'Colonel Klink, I'm sorry about this. He'll be punished for this. It'll serve you right if you have to fix that tyre.'  
'If? Certainly he'll fix it.'  
'Now wait a minute, that's out of the question. The Geneva Conference rules out menial labour.'  
'The Geneva Conference says nothing about fixing tyres.'  
'The Geneva Conference is quite explicit about this.'  
'Hogan!'  
'All right, but I want you to know this is under protest. Newkirk, fix that tyre.' Hogan agreed, practically manhandling Newkirk out the gate and over to the car.  
'Hey you. Let them do it.'

Watching from his position among the other prisoners milling around, Rufus suddenly realised what the plan was and nodded faintly, drawing Kinch's attention to the plan and letting him spread the word. Sliding Emily's measuring stick out of his sleeve, Hogan jacked up the side of the guard tower and measured the gap until it was perfect. Inside the wire, the waiting prisoners leaned to match the new angle of the guard at the machine gun, keeping him from really figuring out what was going on. They all heard the bombers flying over and prayed to catch a whisper of the explosion so close to their camp and yet out of their reach. Looking up, they saw the formation and smiled, each grounded pilot wishing their comrades the best of luck.

Then it came to them, the distant sounds of explosions ringing across the camp. Nodding slowly, Emily briefly wondered who had struck out the plant. Sure an American General organised the radar but British pilots could have been tracking it. In the end though, it didn't matter who destroyed the plant, the job was done and the guard post gently set back on its foundations without disturbing the guard too much with all the moving around.


	11. Official Entrance

Beaten and aching, Andrew Hunter sat hunched in the back of a German truck as it rumbled towards the gates of Stalag 13. His last plan had been flawless but still he'd been recaptured and instead of going back to the camp he knew, had been transferred to the camp touted as escape proof. The Gestapo had tried to pump him for information yet again but had still come up blank, despite the beatings they'd put him through.

Jolting when the truck pulled up, he stood and grabbed his bag, jumping down and bungling the landing. Letting out a cry of pain, he hit the ground hard and stayed down for a moment before sitting up and rubbing his left ankle.  
'Damn thing 'asn't been right since the first night in Germany.' he sighed, looking up as someone came running over to help him up.  
'Are you all right?' he asked, hauling Andrew up and supporting him.  
'Just me bum ankle playing up again. Corporal Andrew 'unter, RAF.' he shrugged, picking up his kitbag and shifting his weight off his aching ankle.  
'Colonel Robert Hogan, senior POW officer here at Stalag 13.'  
'What are you doing Hogan?' Klink demanded, emerging from the kommandantur.  
'Corporal Hunter here fell when he jumped from the truck. Problem ankle. Hunter, meet Colonel Klink, our camp Kommandant.'  
'Been a problem since I was shot down Kommandant. I'll be alright after I've 'ad a chance to rest it and let the swelling go down.'  
'Colonel, perhaps it would be best if I took Hunter straight to the barracks and let him rest his ankle. He's in no fit state to be interrogated right now.'  
'Alright Colonel Hogan.'

Leaning gratefully on Hogan's shoulders, Hunter hopped along slowly towards barracks 2 and tried to relax. There were a group of men waiting outside the barracks, watching his slow progress across the camp. One broke from the group and took off through the camp for some reason, hopefully to get a medic. Turning his gaze back to the group, Andrew stopped and stared in absolute disbelief, eyes wide as he caught sight of a familiar face.  
'I don't believe it. I don't ruddy believe it.' he uttered, watching a familiar figure emerge from the gathering and approach, looking just as stunned as Andrew felt. 'Peter Newkirk, we meet again.'  
'It is you. I thought I was the only survivor.' Peter grinned, surging forward and grasping Andrew's offered hand.  
'Nah, I'm harder to kill than that mate.' Andrew grinned, willingly draping his free arm around Newkirk's shoulders and letting him help.  
'You know each other?' Hogan asked, eyeing the pair for a moment before allowing Newkirk to help his friend alone.  
'Know each other? We're practically brothers. We got shot down together, quite literally.' Andrew laughed, amazed to have his old friend back at his side.  
'Not just the same raid, same bloody plane. We were the waist gunners, doing our bit and 'aving a laugh.' Peter agreed, guiding Andrew down onto the bench and crouching to work his boot off. 'Which ankle?'  
'Left one; busted it pretty good when I landed.' Andrew directed, lifting his foot and biting his tongue as Peter carefully released his laces and worked the worn boot off.

Looking up when another man entered the barracks, Andrew sagged as the boot came off and the pressure eased somewhat. Straightening up, Peter moved aside for the new arrival and moved around the table to grab the teapot.  
'So what's happened to you?'  
'Busted me ankle a while back, 'asn't been right since.'  
''ere Andrew, tea.' Peter offered, handing him the mug.  
'Not more kraut tea Newkirk, please.' Andrew frowned, looking into the mug.  
'Course not; I get all the tea from the Red Cross packages for this barracks. No one else likes the stuff.'  
'What I wouldn't give for a decent cup of British tea.' Andrew sighed, sipping his tea as the medic bound his ankle firmly.  
'So who's the new arrival?' someone else asked, sitting up on his bunk.  
'This is me mate Andrew 'unter. We got shot down together. 'Unter, meet Carter, LeBeau and Kinch, they're all me mates.'  
'Cool, another Andrew in the barracks. I'm Andrew Carter, nice to meet you.' the young American grinned, offering his hand.  
'A pleasure Andrew. I get the feeling we're going to get along well.'  
'Louis LeBeau, barracks chef. I will make it clear now; I do not know these British dishes Pierre speaks of so don't ask.'  
'Peter wouldn't know real cuisine if it bit him on the behind. But then, I ain't much better. So long as it's not "kill your own", I don't really care what's on the table in the way of food.'  
'James Kinchloe, everyone just calls me Kinch. Welcome to Stalag 13.'  
'Thanks Kinch. It's not that different to my last camp but obviously harder to get out of.'  
'Klink is very proud of his no escape record.'  
'Hmmm, might 'ave to change that.'  
'Don't even think about it Andrew. You go and you'll be going alone.'  
'You're not even tempted to escape Peter?'  
'Not really. Go back flying and you risk getting shot down again? No thanks, I'll stay 'ere. Next time we might not be so lucky Andrew.'  
'Good point. Would be bad sport to get us both shot down again. Once was more than enough for me to put up with.'  
'That should hold for now. Just stay off it as much as possible, I'll talk to the Kommandant about roll calls.'  
'Don't worry about it Wilson, 'e can lean on me for roll calls.' Newkirk shrugged, helping Hunter onto the nearest bunk and propping his foot up on his greatcoat.  
'Thanks Peter.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Fastening her back harness into place again, Emily accepted her knife and slid it into place between her shoulders, her loose fitting RAF turtleneck helping to hide the fact it was there.  
'And you didn't think I'd be able to pull it off Peter.' she smirked, propped up against the wall with her swollen ankle resting comfortably on his folded greatcoat.  
'This is only the first day Emily. You've got a long war ahead of you to keep this deception going.'  
'Stop worrying Peter, I've already proven that I can keep a faultless impersonation going for eight weeks, this is actually easier. Here I don't have to conform to your rituals and routines; here I can make my own set.'  
'Are you really sure about this? I don't want you 'urt Emily.'  
'Peter, I'll be fine. I have faced things so much scarier than the Gestapo. Just stick to the story and we'll be okay.' Emily soothed, touching his cheek lightly.  
'I'll try Emily.' Peter nodded, amazed by how comfortable Emily was in this situation. At any moment she could be discovered but still she took the risk just to spend more time with her surrogate family.

Pulling her mini-monitor from her inside jacket pocket, she clicked it on and checked their surrounds before leaning over and stealing a sweet kiss from Newkirk. Settling back comfortably, she sipped her tea and relaxed, content to watch her friends getting on with their days like always.  
'Hey Kinch, if you're heading into the tunnel could you do me a favour?' she asked, watching him open the tunnel entrance.  
'Sure, what do you need?'  
'There should be a white wrapped bundle by the ladder; could you bring it up for me?'  
'Of course, be right back.'  
'Thanks Kinch. I'm going to need that particular item if I'm ever going to survive this place.'  
'What's in the package Emily?' Peter asked, worried by Emily's choice of words.  
'My left ankle really is shot Peter, that's no mistruth to look pathetic in front of Klink. It wasn't a crash that ruined it; I got shot and shattered my ankle many years back. Damn thing hasn't been right since and I require a special brace just to keep that ankle from collapsing every time I stand.' Emily explained, accepting the bundle. 'Thanks Kinch.'  
'An ankle brace?'  
'A very strong, solidly built ankle brace. It replicates proper ankle movement without allowing for the side roll that never fails to put me down hard. It's actually fairly comfortable, well padded and snug to prevent uncomfortable rubbing.' Emily nodded, undoing the bundle and lifting out the metal and leather contraption.  
'It looks like some old torture device.' Carter mused, eyeing the device warily.  
'Without it, I'd be in trouble. My left ankle can't hold my weight much at all; this device grants me my mobility.'

Tucking the brace safely into her left boot, Emily settled back and sighed softly, content to listen to the quiet conversations around the room and wait for LeBeau to finish making lunch. She still kept half an eye on her monitor, not wanting to get caught out by Schultz for just the sake of a cuddle. The coast was clear though, giving her plenty of time to enjoy a close moment with her dearest Peter.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Leaning on Peter's shoulders, Andrew hopped out to the bench outside their barracks and settled, cradling his badly swollen left ankle against his right foot as he got comfortable.  
'Remember the fun we used to have? Everyone knew us, we were the dangerous duo.' Andrew mused; accepting the cigarette Newkirk was offering out and fishing out his matches.  
'Those were the days. You'd dare me to pinch things and I'd go along with it because I knew we'd be punished together.'  
'Command never could figure out which of us was the thief. But then you 'ad to get cocky.'  
'I always was the cocky one, remember?'  
'True Peter but I never pinched the Group Captain's wedding band off 'is finger.'  
'Now that was funny. 'E 'ad no idea I'd done it until the Lieutenant opened 'is mouth.'  
'And we both lost a stripe for our efforts. I still can't believe you didn't drop the blame on me so you could send extra money 'ome.'  
'Not a chance Andrew. You're the brother I never 'ad, no way I'd do that. Me mum was 'appy with what I could send, she knew I was working 'ard to support everyone.'  
''Eard much from the folks back 'ome?'  
'Not lately. Mail should arrive next week but don't 'old out for it.'  
'Got no one at 'ome worried about me anymore. 'aven't 'ad anything since we got shot down.'  
'You can always read me letters from 'ome Andrew.'  
'It's alright Peter, you keep them. I'm used to being alone, I don't mind anymore.'  
'You're not alone Andrew, I'm still 'ere.'  
'Definitely a 'ighlight of me life. Reckon anyone else from our bomber is still alive somewhere?'  
'I 'ope so but it's doubtful. That bomber of ours was a mess when it finally went down and I only saw two chutes that night - ours.'  
'Damn, I was a little busy with me damaged chute to realise we 'ad lost a few.'

Watching the world pass them by, Andrew and Peter shared a smile and relaxed back against the wall contentedly. They got a few stares from those not in on the gag but it didn't matter, for the first time since they met they were free to sit together and rejoice in their romance without risking Emily's discovery.  
'Either of you guys want a cup of tea?' Carter asked, sticking his head out.  
'Only if it's no bother mate.' Andrew nodded, wriggling his bare toes in the cold.  
'It's no trouble at all buddy, really.' Carter grinned, disappearing back inside.  
'Don't give me that look Peter, I'd get it meself but with this ankle of mine, bad idea.'  
'You could 'ave just asked me to get it.'  
'Carter's just trying to be 'elpful. Don't tell me you're worried about losing me as a mate because someone else is being nice.'  
'Of course not.'  
'Liar. Never 'appen, we're mates from way back. I'll make other mates but you'll always be me best mate.'  
'Back at you 'unter.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Stunned when Carter moved out from under Peter and found a spot near LeBeau, Andrew changed into his nightshirt and settled on his new bunk, adjusting the greatcoat under his ankle and making sure he'd be alright for the night. Above him, Peter swung his feet up and got somewhat comfortable before draping his head over the side and grinning down at Andrew.  
'All snuggled in mate?'  
'Still a mother 'en I see Peter. I'll be fine, quit fussing.'  
'Just watching out for me mate.'  
'I appreciate that but really, quit worrying. Now go to bed.' Andrew sighed, grabbing his cap and smacking Peter over the head.  
'Alright, alright. Good night Andrew.' Peter chuckled, ducking out of range and settling back.  
'Sleep well Peter.' Andrew grinned, trying to get comfortable on the thin, lumpy mattress.  
'I'll give it a go mate.' Peter replied, rolling over and trying to relax as Schultz wandered in to do a bed check and turn out the lights.

Pausing beside the bunks of the two Englanders, Schultz checked the top one first before sitting on the bench and removing his helmet.  
'Kommandant Klink will not be pleased I am asking but, are you alright? I saw you fall earlier.'  
'It still 'urts a bit but I'll be fine Schultz. Another day or so and I'll be back on me feet. Just 'ave to remember to be more careful.'  
'Told ya Schultz was a good guy, for a guard.' Peter remarked, shifting in his bunk and leaning over again.  
'And I know I told you to go to sleep Peter.' Andrew countered, grabbing his cap and giving Newkirk another swat.  
'Try and 'elp a mate and this is the thanks I get.' Peter sighed, smirking at Andrew before settling back.  
'I still technically outrank you Peter.'  
'Only by two weeks.'  
'Now, now children. Time to go to sleep.' Schultz cut in, silencing the argument as he stood and headed for the door. He smiled at the protests from the pair and turned, watching them settle before he left.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Whipping out the monitor, Emily clicked it on and watched Schultz walk away before reaching up and giving the mattress above a solid thump. Sitting up quickly, Peter climbed down and changed into the blacks hidden under the bunks as Carter rolled from his bunk and got ready as well.  
'Remember you two, this is a reconnaissance mission only. No getting sidetracked by girls.' Hogan directed, crossing the room to perch on the end of the table. 'I would send Emily to keep you on track but…'  
'Send Aloysius, he'll keep them on track and out of Gestapo hands.' Emily suggested, still quite proud of the last beat down she'd put on Knight in payback for his mistake.  
'Alright, you two can grab him on the way through. Now get going and don't miss morning roll call.'  
'Right-o Gov'nor.'  
'Got it Sir.'  
'Be safe Peter.' Emily uttered, catching his hand and squeezing gently.  
'I'll be alright Emily, don't worry. Get some sleep; I'll be back before dawn.' Newkirk replied, leaning over to bestow a loving kiss on her forehead before he headed for the tunnel entrance.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Four days after his arrival, Andrew let Wilson examine his ankle again and grinned when the medic declared his satisfaction with the healing process. Once he was gone, Andrew pulled out his ankle brace and strapped it into place, tucking the padding and adjusting the fit until it was comfortable. Tugging on his sock and boot, he grinned and draped one arm around Newkirk's shoulders, guiding him outside for a walk around the camp to test his ankle.  
'That brace does a pretty good job.' Peter remarked, watching his companion walk without showing any weakness in his left ankle.  
'It's not obvious, is it?'  
'Nah can't see a thing.'  
'Good, I'd be in trouble is the krauts took it.' Andrew uttered, looking around for a moment before relaxing his shoulders. 'You know, in comparison to me last camp, this place ain't so bad.'  
'I'd 'ardly call this place great.'  
'At least 'ere we get three meals a day, the guards aren't trigger 'appy and the barracks are reasonably windproof.'  
'Get too close to the wire and you'll see 'ow trigger 'appy they are.'  
'Feh, last camp I was in, we'd be counted as too close to the wire 'ere.'  
'But we're still twenty feet from the warning fence.'  
'Told ya they were trigger 'appy.'  
'Blimey, maybe this place ain't so bad. Schultz usually 'ustles us away before we get near the warning fence.'  
'Back there, we'd be shot immediately. No questions asked.'  
'Scary thought that.'  
'Lost a few mates like that, stopped talking to people after the fifth one died. Made me life lonely but it 'urt less when the guns rang out in the darkness. New arrivals thought I was cold but they soon learned the reality. They'd see the bodies on the wire and start closing up, 'iding in their minds and trying not to think about what they saw.'  
'I knew the krauts could get rough, but blimey, that's just wrong. No one deserves to see that.'  
'Gets worse Peter; gets much worse. The krauts wouldn't take the bodies down. They'd organise work parties and force us to take 'em down. No proper burials either, the bodies were thrown into a large pit outside camp and covered to stop the smell but it never really worked. We smelt them every day.'  
'Alright, we need to get off this topic right now. This is making me feel sick.'  
'Then what should we talk about?'  
'Anything but that.'

Reaching into his shirt, Andrew fished out his dogtags and looked at the simple silver rings hanging from the chain for a moment before slipping the chain over his head and unhooking the connector. He carefully removed the two rings and resecured his tags around his throat, the two rings the main focus.  
'Remember these?' he asked, handing one to Peter.  
'The krauts took mine when they grabbed me.' Peter sighed, turning the ring in his fingers to catch the engraved letters on the surface.  
'I'm surprised they didn't take mine but I'm glad they let me keep 'em.' Andrew shrugged, turning his around and slipping it on his right index finger where it belonged. 'So long as I 'ad them, I could believe you were alive.'  
'I never got why you insisted we carry two each but now I get it.' Peter nodded, slipping his ring on and running his thumb over the interlocked H and N.  
'One each, no matter what. When I was feeling low, I'd 'old both in me 'and and think of you, dreaming you were at me side and we were back in London.'  
'Brothers and friends always.' Peter agreed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he gazed at the plain silver ring. Bare of any adornments bar the letters on the top, they were simple and very understated but symbolised the most important thing to both men - their best friend.


	12. I Look Better In Basic Black

Glancing at Newkirk worriedly, Hunter watched the men from barracks three file into their barracks with their gear. Equally nervous about the sudden cramming, Peter hoped no one noticed anything strange about Andrew and tried to relax but things just got complicated for them.  
'All right. Raus. Raus. Raus. Everybody. Schnell. Schnell. Schnell. All right.'  
'Schultz, what's going on here?'  
'We're not having a party.'  
'Order of Colonel Klink: all prisoners from Barracks Three have to be moved in here.'  
'Do these guys have a reservation? This is no way to run a hotel.'  
'I'm writing a letter to the Red Cross.'  
'And I'm going to write a letter to The Times, straightaway.'  
'All right. All right. Hold it. Hold it. What's our jolly innkeeper up to now?'  
'Kommandant Klink wants to make room for three more prisoners. That's all I know.'  
'Well there goes any hope of me getting any sleep.' Rufus groused, bundling up his blankets and letting someone else pinch the second bunk he'd been using.  
'We'll get through this Rufus, you'll see.' Andrew replied, perching on the table and warning a new arrival off his bunk with a glare.

Wading through the crush of bodies, Rufus joined the group at the table and watched Hogan play Schultz like a master, getting his attention onto the chocolate in his hand.  
'For goodness sakes. Oh, I'm sorry Schultz. Would you care for some? I can't eat it all. I'm on a diet. On you, it wouldn't show.'  
'mmm. Chocolate.'  
'What about those three new prisoners, Schultz?'  
'Three Americans. They're on their way to a maximum-security prison in Berlin.'  
'They need a whole barracks for that?'  
'The Gestapo doesn't want them to talk to anyone.'  
'They must know something pretty important?'  
'Maybe they do. But me, I know nothing.' Schultz's eyes lit up when Hogan handed him the chocolate bar and turned away, leaving the guard to flee with his prize.  
'It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to bribe Schultz.' Rufus remarked, slipping past Carter to refill his mug.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Sticking close to Newkirk's shoulder, Hunter was right in the thick of the gathering around Hogan, demanding more information on this new bunking arrangement and when things were getting back to normal.  
'All right, hold on a minute, will you?'  
'Come on.'  
'It's only temporary.'  
'Say, who are those three new prisoners anyway?'  
'Well they've got to be officers. Blimey! They always get the icing off the cake.'  
'But you get the rings off their fingers.' Hunter sighed, digging him in the ribs.  
'No offence Sir.'  
'They're not officers. They are maximum security prisoners. They must have some valuable information or the krauts wouldn't be moving them to Berlin.'  
'Information about what?'  
'We won't know until we make contact.'  
'How are we going to do that?'  
'I reckon I know how. Sorry Colonel, can't be much help there.' Rufus sighed, hoping Hogan understood his situation.  
'I understand completely Rufus, don't worry. To answer you're question LeBeau: by digging out that old tunnel to Barracks Three.'

Shooting Newkirk a warning glare, Hunter followed Hogan over to one of the bunks and glanced at the map he pulled out of hiding, revealing once again their incredible network of tunnels.  
'Dig and dig, and that's all we ever do.'  
'All right, hold it, will you? We've dug an ingenious tunnel system, and I'm proud of you. And I know you'll pitch in and dig just one more with the proper spirit.'  
'I didn't join the RAF to become a ruddy gopher.'  
'I hate tunnels. I never even rode on the metro.'  
'Look, I can't order you to dig this tunnel. I'm asking for volunteers.'  
'I'll do it Colonel, I ain't afraid of a little diggin'. Newkirk can back down but I won't.'  
'Thank you Hunter, I had a feeling you'd help out. But we'll need more help.'  
'Really wish I could Colonel but it's just not safe.' Rufus shrugged, shocked by the reluctance displayed.  
'I see. That's the way it's going to be? All right, I'll just have to figure another way to make contact with those three girls.'

The sudden change was amusing to witness as LeBeau, Carter, Kinch and Newkirk shot back to Hogan's side, all thinking the exact same thing.  
'Girls?'  
'Sir, I 'ereby volunteer for King and Empire.'  
'Moi aussi. Lafayette, I am here.'  
'Do I have to be trampled to death by this sudden display of patriotism?'  
'We British, Sir, have always felt very friendly towards you people in the colonies.'  
'Oh, yeah? Where were you when we sent then the Statue of Liberty?'  
'How long did it take us to dig that tunnel to the barbed-wire fence?'  
'We used eight men, and as I remember it took us about…'  
'Sixteen hours.'  
'Yeah, sixteen hours.'  
'Right. This is twice the distance. How long will it take to get to the girls?'  
'About an 'our-and-a-'alf, Sir.'  
'Wouldn't let you dig this alone.'  
'Well, with 'elp, 20 minutes.'

Rolling his eyes quickly, Andrew knew he needed a plan to get things back under control but there was no way he could say anything with so many guys hanging around.  
'Look, this is a military mission, not a friendship club. So I'm going to…send Hunter in first.'  
'That's a bit cheeky, 'e's no 'igher rank that me.'  
'Yeah, but I know 'ow to keep it in me pants.'  
'Alright you two, that's enough.' Hogan warned, not wanting the pair to start arguing again.  
'Do you know how long it's been since I've seen a woman?'  
'It's been even longer for me.'  
'Yeah, but I'm French. Couldn't we just shake hands with them?'  
'It would be the firing squad if you fellows were caught with the girls. Hunter knows how to think on his feet, he won't be spotted.'  
'You weren't…'  
'I'm not going to let you risk your lives.'  
'You weren't that worried when you sent me out there to cut that barbed wire.'  
'Whinge, whinge, whinge.' Hunter sighed, rolling his eyes at Newkirk.  
'Making contact with those girls could be the turning point in the war.'  
'It would be for me.'  
'Which is exactly why it should be 'andled by someone responsible enough to not cause a scene and smart enough to not be seen. I appreciate the confidence Colonel, I won't let you down.' Hunter smirked, already plotting out what he'd say to the girls.  
'Then can I count on you to dig the tunnel?'  
'You can count on me, Sir, with me bare hands, if necessary.'  
'Me, too. Just digging within four feet of a woman is better than never to have loved at all.' LeBeau mused, eyes closed in bliss at the thought of being so close to a woman. Reaching out, Newkirk tapped him on the shoulder and smacked him over the head with his cap before Andrew slid his off and cracked Newkirk a good one.  
'What was that for?' Newkirk demanded, rubbing his head lightly. 'And mind those ruddy buttons.'  
'You 'ave a lady waiting Peter. Young Miss Emily, all alone at 'ome and pining for her missing love.' Andrew replied, donning his cap and standing. 'She'd be 'eartbroken if she knew.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Reaching the trapdoor, Andrew looked back over his shoulder and warned Newkirk with a glare before reaching up and unlatching the trapdoor. Very slowly he lifted the trapdoor and peeked out, scanning for krauts before starting to climb out. He caught movement out the corner of his eye and dropped down, hands coming up to protect his head.  
'Hey. Wait a minute, hold it. I'm British and a veteran.'  
'We thought you were a German.'  
'Germans come through the door. Friends come through the floor.' Andrew sighed, climbing out of the tunnel completely.  
'Now look, mister, we…'  
''old it. Shhh, just let me make sure we're clear.' he uttered, heading to check the coast was clear outside.

Satisfied that they were safe, he closed the door quietly and turned back to the women, removing his cap and tucking it through his belt.  
''Ello ladies. Corporal Andrew 'unter, RAF, semi-retired.'  
'I'm Charlene Hemsley, adagio dancer.'  
'I'm Ginger Wilson and this is Kathy Pruitt.'  
'A pleasure ladies. 'As anybody interrogated you yet?'  
'That one guard sort of got a little fresh.'  
'No, they just dumped us in here, and we haven't seen anybody yet.'  
'Good. Look, according to the Geneva Convention you're not required to give anything but your name, your unit and the key you sing in.'  
'Should I tell them I'm double-jointed?'  
'Only under extreme duress.'  
'How long will they keep us here?'  
'They'll be moving you out any minute. All right, now listen. This is important. Why are the krauts so interested in you three? Aside from the obvious reasons.'  
'Beats me.'  
'We don't know. We really can't figure it out. You see, we were doing our act for this infantry outfit when there was an attack. We jumped into a jeep, and we thought we were heading for headquarters. Well, the next thing we knew, there we were, hiding in an underground shelter, surrounded by Germans.'  
'What was in the shelter?'  
'A lot of very fresh soldiers.'  
'Boy, was it scary. There were these long, thin shells. They looked like torpedoes.'  
'Yeah, that's right. With little wings on them. Sort of like something out of Buck Rogers.'  
'Torpedoes with wings. Buck Rogers.' Andrew mused, putting the pieces together. 'Rockets.'  
'I was with them for two years.'  
'Not Rockettes, dear. Rockets.'  
'Rocket base. That's what the krauts are 'iding. Where was it?'  
'Don't ask me. I couldn't even find my out of a telephone booth.'  
''Ow long did it take you to get 'ere?'  
'It was about four hours.'  
'Yeah, right.'  
'By autobahn? 'Ighway?'  
'It was a very bumpy road.'  
'A few minutes after we started, we passed through a small town. There was a cathedral with a real tall spire.'  
'Yeah, that's 'ofberg. It's about 80 miles due east of 'ere. By truck, four hours would be just about right.'

Snarling when the trapdoor slammed open and Peter climbed out, Hunter drew back between the bunks and waited to see what he was going to do before making a stand and forcing him back.  
'Welcome to Stalag 13, ladies. Welcome. Newkirk's the name, ladies, but you can call me Peter.' he beamed, making quite a racket in his excitement before pulling a cute little bouquet of flowers from his sleeve. 'Voila. A little bouquet to brighten up your room.'  
'He's a magician.'  
'I was 'eld over two weeks in Blackpool.'

Drawing his knife, Hunter stepped forward and tugged Peter off balance, the deadly blade materialising at his throat in a very stern warning as he grabbed his arm and forced it back and up.  
'What did I say about you staying in the tunnel?' Andrew hissed, yanking Newkirk around and shoving him back towards the tunnel.  
'I couldn't 'elp meself 'unter.' Peter offered, gulping when LeBeau emerged from the tunnel, merrily playing his accordion and singing along. Removing the knife from Newkirk's throat, Andrew turned it in his hand and slit the side of the accordion, silencing LeBeau but he knew he'd pay for it later.  
'Alright you two, back in the tunnel. Sorry about this Hunter.'  
'But Sir, I can't let me mate 'unter take the risk alone. We're in this together.'  
'Newkirk, you're me mate and all but get.' Hunter sighed, waiting for Hogan to move back out of the way before deftly scooping Newkirk up and dropping him down the trapdoor. 'LeBeau, stick around and I'll slit more than your ruddy accordion.'  
'Alright, alright.' he groused, climbing back out of sight.

Shaking his head, Hunter kicked the trapdoor closed and stood on it, figuring he'd make doubly sure they couldn't come back.  
'You'll 'ave to excuse me mates, no culture at all.' he offered, tensing up when someone knocked at the door. 'I was never 'ere. You know nothing.' he directed, waving them away before diving under the nearest bunk.  
'Who is it?' Kathy asked, walking over to the door.  
'It's me, Sergeant Schultz.'  
'Come in Sergeant.'

From his place under the bunks, Hunter watched the way the ladies distracted Schultz and got him to turn his back on the trapdoor. Hoping his luck didn't run out, he slid across the floor as silently as he could and tapped once on the trapdoor before rolling back out of sight. Schultz looked over but seeing nothing strange, returned his attention to the women. Sliding out again, Hunter opened the trapdoor and dropped in headfirst, turning his fall into a roll as Newkirk reached out and shut the hatch silently.  
'Blimey that was close.' he uttered, getting to his feet.  
'You might 'ave overdone it there 'unter. LeBeau is seriously upset with you.'  
'I'd rather face his anger than a ruddy firing squad. 'E was making enough noise to get us caught.'  
'So what about pulling a knife on me?'  
'You know I'm territorial. I warned you three times that I wouldn't be 'appy if you went sniffing around those girls.'  
'Alright, I'll admit I overstepped me bounds. But blimey Em, you scared the life outta me when you did that.'  
'Relax Peter, I know what I'm doing. You were never in any danger, I promise you.'  
'Hey Colonel, reckon we can steal a little private time?' Newkirk asked, catching up with the Colonel.  
'Alright, but don't miss roll call.'  
'We won't Hogan, promise.' Emily nodded, grabbing Peter's hand and dragging him down a different tunnel.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hustling the crew into barracks three, Emily grinned and glanced at Newkirk, glad to see he wasn't looking at the ladies as much and seemed to be a lot more focused on the job at hand.  
'Hi.'  
'Hi fellas. You're just in time for the going away party.'  
'You're not going.'  
'Tell that to Captain Heinrich.'  
'What do you mean we're not going?'  
'Look, I think we can help you escape to England if you're willing to take a chance.'  
'Anything's better than being booked in a German prison camp for three years.'  
'I'll go along with that.'  
'Me, too.'  
'What's the plan Colonel?'  
'This is the way it stacks up. We're going to change places with the girls.'  
'What?'  
'Three of us go out in the truck tonight while the girls hide back here.'  
'Brilliant.'  
'Fantastic. 'E always comes up with…'  
'Colonel, what good does it do the girls if you guys escape?'  
'Yeah.'  
'After we escape, we sneak back into camp. We arrange to have the girls go out in the dog truck tomorrow.'  
'Of course. I said it was brilliant. Don't you see? It will be easy. Because half the guards will be out looking for you.'  
''E's a ruddy genius, even if 'e is an officer.'  
'Can you get away with this?'  
'I mean, yeah. I may not be Miss America, but I don't look like a fella.'  
'You can say that again, Ma'am.'  
'Hunter, why don't you show these ladies what we're capable of.' Hogan suggested, smirking as the girls turned to where Hunter was waiting to play along.  
'What you ladies see 'ere is a very detailed disguise. I am not Corporal Andrew 'unter, RAF.' he offered, removing his jacket and tossing it to Newkirk. 'I am Emily Hunter, undercover operative.' she continued, switching smoothly back to her American accent as she peeled her sweater off to reveal the truth.  
'Can we look now?' Carter asked, eyes covered as he waited.  
'It's alright Andrew, nothing to see here.' Emily soothed, pulling her sweater down and catching her jacket. 'Very few people know the truth. You must not tell a soul of me presence 'ere.' Andrew came back to the front, hiding all traces of the woman underneath.

He knew it wouldn't be long before the fireworks really started, they just had to wait for Newkirk and LeBeau to fully understand just what was going on.  
'All right, let's get going.'  
'No, wait. If we change places with the girls tonight then that means that…I just got it.'  
'So did I. You want us to wear their clothes.'  
'You know a better way to look like women?'  
'Well, that's out.'  
'Forget it.'  
'the Articles of War do not require me to wear ladies' clothing.'  
'Will you wait a minute? There's no danger. It's dark out. And besides, look what I've got. Private Ninowski, our wigmaker, does beautiful work.'  
'Look Colonel, I'd rather grab a machine gun from the guards and blast our way out.'  
'I'll help you, LeBeau. Come on.'  
'All right! I didn't want to do it this way but I order you. Put on their clothes and these wigs.'  
'And if I disobey the order?'  
'Court-marshal and firing squad.'  
'No bandage for my eyes. Vive la France!'  
'Sir, you can 'ang me from the 'ighest yardarm but under no circumstances will we dress as women.'  
'So that's it Peter. You're quite 'appy for me to run around in your uniform with a pair of socks down me undies so you don't get into trouble but when it comes to 'helping out three lovely ladies, you get cold feet.' Emily weighed into the argument, figuring it wouldn't take long to back Newkirk into a corner and force his cooperation.  
'I could get shot for this. Isn't that enough reason not to?'  
'I could 'ave been shot for helping you out when you broke your arm. But no, I faced the risks with a stiff upper lip. If not for these ladies, do it for me Peter, please. I swear I won't laugh, I'll even help you get organised and when you get back, I'll have a special surprise waiting for you.' Emily coaxed, pulling out her secret weapon and giving Newkirk the look.

Caught in those depthless brown eyes, Newkirk was gone and he knew it. Whenever Emily really turned on the charm, he just couldn't help it, he'd do whatever she asked of him.  
'That's cheating Emily. All right, I'll ruddy do it.' he sighed, shoulders drooping.  
'It's not so bad Peter, you'll be fine. Come on, I'll make you beautiful. Ginger, you'll be perfect.' Emily nodded, picking up the long red wig and taking Peter's hand.  
'It 'ad better be a good surprise Emily.' Peter uttered, following Emily down the barracks and stripping off his jacket and sweater.  
'You'll enjoy it, promise.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Straightening Peter's wig quickly, Emily tapped his chin up and fastened the last two buttons on the shirt before stepping back and looking the trio over. She was tempted to laugh but squashed that down, knowing they'd never forgive her if she did.  
'You'll never pass looking like that Hogan.' she sighed, reaching out and tugging his borrowed bra back into line. 'Some unevenness is normal but this is ridiculous.'  
'Ow. Hey, easy on the chest hair.'  
'Sorry. There, that's better.' she grinned, turning to LeBeau and looking him over. 'Don't give me that dark look, this wasn't my idea.'  
'Talk about uncomfortable.' he uttered, allowing Emily to tidy him up quickly.  
'It's only for one night. I'll have your uniforms waiting for you when you get back.'  
'Hey, you guys look pretty convincing.' Carter offered, admiring the trio.  
'Shut up!'  
'Oui, shut up! You tell anybody about this I will personally poison your food.'  
'Don't be such a sourpuss LeBeau, it's for a good cause.' Emily soothed, straightening his skirt with a sharp twist.  
'All right, easy, men. Carter, after we leave, take the girls back to our barracks.'  
'Right, Colonel.'  
'Keep them out of sight as much as possible, because we don't…you know, Newkirk?'  
'What?'  
'You look good in basic black.'  
'That's enough ladies. The guards will be here any minute, get organised.' Emily directed, checking the camera she'd mounted outside the barracks door. 'Hang on, wait a minute Newkirk.'  
'What now Emily? I want this over with.'  
'I know, I know. Just hold still.' Emily soothed, drawing a smaller knife from the waist of her pants and gently tipping his head back. 'you missed a spot shaving for this one.' she uttered, showing her true abilities with a knife as she cleaned up the five o'clock shadow he'd missed in his rush.  
'Better?' he asked, nervous about the sharp knife so close to vital areas.  
'There we go, all done.' Emily nodded, tucking her knife away and hustling the girls out of sight when Schultz started calling for the girls to leave. 'Good luck.' she whispered, stealing a quick kiss before taking cover.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Whistling quietly to himself, Andrew neatly folded up the three waiting uniforms and hid them on their owner's bunks, trying not to think about the risks they were facing out there without anyone to cover their backs.  
'I don't know. Maybe they ran into some sort of trouble. Maybe something happened. I don't know.'  
'Yeah, maybe his garter belt snapped.'  
'I don't think that would have slowed them down.'  
'It's hard to win a war when your stockings are falling down.'  
'They'll be alright, those three 'ave faced tougher jobs than this and always come back intact.' Andrew shrugged, hanging Newkirk's jacket where it belonged. 'We just 'ave to believe.' he added, face lighting up when the false bottom bunk swung open.  
'They're home!'  
'We're home.'  
'Hey Belinda. What brings you up here?' Carter asked, his fluffy black and white cat bounding up the ladder and curling around his ankles until he scooped her up. 'How'd it go?'  
'Piece of cake.'  
'Fine. Fine.'  
'Yeah, fine.'  
'Oh, my god.'  
'Come on Peter, got your uniform all ready for you.' Andrew grinned, glancing at Hogan for a moment before ushering Newkirk into the private room.  
'Colonel, how can we every thank you?'  
'Leave your names and addresses and after the war I'm sure we can work something out.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Jamming a chair under the doorhandle for some semblance of privacy, Emily helped Peter out of his uncomfortable costume and shoved everything into the waiting bag before resting her hands on his chest. Slowly, tenderly, she let her hands move, drifting over his skin lovingly, touch as soft as butterfly wings. She knew Peter, knew how to make him relax and unwind without things getting out of hand. Eyes closing slowly, Peter sagged into her gentle hands, the stress of the day floating away with the soft strokes over his muscles. Fingers curling over his shoulders, Emily ran her hands down his arms, the contact light but saying more than words ever could.

Stepping closer and guiding him into her chest, Emily smiled as Peter went willingly, arms draping around her waist as she stroked his back, rubbing out the lines where the bra had been digging in painfully. With each loving stroke, another muscle unlocked, another hurt was forgotten and the frustrations of the mission dissipated into nothingness. Humming softly as she worked Emily turned him into a pile of jelly, supported only by her strong arms at his back. Moaning softly, Peter let himself hang there for a few precious moments, knowing Emily could hold him up for as long as he needed before setting him back on his feet.

A loving kiss was shared before Emily reached behind him and hooked his nightshirt, offering it out with a grin. Accepting it with a smile, Peter dressed and slumped back against her, enjoying the moment to just be together without any lies or troubles in the way. Drawing away reluctantly, Emily set him on his feet and touched his cheek lovingly before removing the chair from under the doorhandle and guiding him from the room. Sending a warning glare to everyone in the barracks, she led Peter to his bunk and got him up without too much of a fuss. Leaning on the side of the bunk, she pulled the blanket up and coaxed him to sleep, so proud of his efforts and confident he knew her feelings. Smiling tiredly, Peter yawned once and settled in for sleep, tugging the blanket up high and curling in tight. Emily stayed at his side until he was fast asleep, soft snores muffled somewhat by his arm.  
'Sleep well Peter, tomorrow's another beautiful day.' she whispered, climbing down and tucking the blanket over his feet.


	13. Hogan Gives A Birthday Party

Scraping his jaw off the floor when he heard of Hogan's latest crazy plan, Rufus couldn't believe what he was hearing. The idea seemed sound enough but the sheer audacity of such a stunt left the massive pilot struck dumb. Recovering from his shock, he got back to work building the replica controls and memorising them for his own curiosity and just in case he ever got the chance to squeeze into a Heinkel bomber and take to the skies.  
'All set Rufus?'  
'Yeah Hogan, we're done here. It's rough as guts but it'll do for training purposes.' Rufus nodded, glancing at the Lieutenant sitting in the mock-up simulator.  
'Look it over Lieutenant. This is going to be your home for the next twelve hours.'  
'Well, I don't know Colonel. I think I can learn enough to fly it to England, but to bomb Stuttheim first…'  
'Look at it this way. I think there's a captaincy in it for you. Kinch.'  
'Oh, right here Colonel.'  
'Lieutenant Hardy here is gonna be with you for a crash course in German radio: instruments, transmission, recognition signals, everything.'  
'Will do.'  
'And don't keep him too long. He's also got to study the navigation instruments and the bombsight.'  
'Colonel, I don't think there's going to be enough time…'  
'You had a previous engagement, Lieutenant?'  
'No, Sir.'  
'Okay. Any questions?'  
'Yes, just one, Sir. How do we steal the airplane?'  
'Routine. Come with me. This is plans and training.'  
'We have it all worked out.'  
'Piece of cake.'  
'The airstrip is here. And a Heinkel bomber will come in tomorrow morning.'  
'Now, we do it tomorrow night. They should have a couple guards in from the other camp. We take care of them easy.'  
'And we have a tunnel entrance right here, so the distance is not too bad.'  
'The only sticky detail is lugging the bombs.'  
'Hold it. You mean we have to take our own bombs?'  
'Fair's fair. The Jerries are supplying the bomber.'   
'Where are Carter and Hunter?'  
'Coming Colonel.'

Guiding the first completed bomb into the training room, Emily had to admire their handiwork. She and Carter had worked hard on these beauties, making good use of supplies found around the way and stuff dropped by the allies. Rather than build their own bomb cases, they were recycling duds that had been carried back to camp, disassembled and stored for later use.  
'And you said my hoarding behaviour was dangerous Hogan.' she grinned, glancing over at Newkirk.  
'It's a modification of the German design, but I think we made a few improvements.'  
'You'll have three more of these things ready by tomorrow night?'  
'Oh sure. They're half built now; we just wanted to show off the first one. Uh Colonel, there's no way I could be around when they go off?'  
'No, Carter.'  
'Well, okay. It's kind of like sending your own child off to war without you.'  
'Stiff upper lip.'  
'Come on Carter, back to the grind stone. I'll get back to building the casings while you rig the explosives.' Emily grinned, starting to push the bomb back down the tunnel.  
'You've got it Emily.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Standing on parade across from the German bomber crew, Hogan knew he'd be called out for having six men to their four but he'd already come up with a cheeky little answer to that. Lined up together, the six allied men waited to play a quick little freak out on the Germans, Rufus standing slouched and low in the middle of the line.  
'General Biedenbender!' Klink called, snapping to attention. 'Hogan, call your men to attention.'  
'They are at attention.'  
'Klink. You ready?'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'Good, good. And this would be?'  
'Colonel Hogan, senior prisoner of war officer reporting, Sir.'  
'Colonel Robert Hogan, yes. Shall we proceed with the inspection?'  
'McKenzie, stand up straight!'  
'Sorry Colonel.' Rufus replied, snapping up and watching a trace of nerves flick over the faces of the opposing team.  
'Never fails Rufus, well done.' Andrew uttered, glancing at Newkirk and smirking.  
'You like the climate here, Hogan, or do you prefer Indianapolis?'  
'Never cared much for the climate there either, General.'  
'General Biedenbender, have you met Colonel Hogan before?'  
'Never, never, but I know him inside and outside.'  
'I see.'  
'You're surprised, Colonel Hogan, huh? Don't bother to answer, I know.'  
'Tell me more, General.'  
'Oh, gladly. Klink, you have planned a big celebration for tonight, haven't you?'  
'Celebration, yes…a celebration?'  
'For such an important birthday.'  
'Birthday? Oh yes, of course. We've been preparing for months, General. The Fuhrer's birthday?'  
'No, Klink, Colonel Hogan's.'  
'It is my birthday.'  
'Yes.'

Catching the General off guard when he turned, Rufus quickly wiped the smirk off his face and kept his gaze steady, forcing the General to look up at him.  
'I shall end the mystery, Colonel Hogan. You see, I am the reason you are now here a prisoner of war.'  
'Thanks.'  
'It's nothing. No, when the bombing raids of the squadron you commanded started to become slightly annoying to the Third Reich, I was assigned to study your tactics, Colonel, to get inside your head. So I learned everything about you. Everything. And then I began to probe, to search for a weakness.'  
'Loud ties.'  
'No, no, your tactical planning, Colonel. Brilliant, yes, but at times, overelaborate. So I was able to predict precisely the plan of your last bombing raid on Hamburg, in which you were shot down, and I was shot up to General.'  
'Colonel, if I may ask. Is there any room in your 'ead for this guy as well?' Andrew asked, figuring he'd play a nice little distraction and wipe the smug grin off the General's face.  
'Very funny Hunter, now pipe down.' Hogan sighed, secretly proud of that little snipe from Andrew. 'As long as it wasn't a total loss.'  
'And I've kept an eye on you ever since Hogan. Yes, even while you was here in prison camp. Klink, this idea of a research project, this idea was not suggested to you by Colonel Hogan?'  
'Oh, of course not, Herr General. Was it?'  
'Yes, Klink. Yes, I recognise instantly the Hogan touch. Overelaborate planning. A clever device to get an airplane within reach, which you would then steal and all escape to England. Ahh, you are crestfallen, yes?'  
'No, Sir. I just have a naturally crestfallen face.'  
''Ey, leave off me mate. Carter's just a kid, you leave 'im outta this.' Andrew warned, wanting the General focused on him instead of Carter. 'Don't let 'im get to ya Carter, 'e's just a bully.'  
'Thanks Hunter, you're a good friend.'  
'Hogan, why do you have six men out here? I told you only four.'  
'Well that's easy Kommandant. Hunter and Newkirk are both trained for the same duties. I figured I'd let them see the project before deciding which would take part. As for Lieutenant McKenzie, his flight record speaks for itself; he's a better pilot than anyone else in this camp.'  
'Why thank you Colonel. I wouldn't go that far but whatever you say.' Rufus shrugged, a little uncomfortable with all the attention turned his way.  
'It is disquieting, Hogan, to have someone else inside your head, yes? My airplane will be under 24-hour guard, night and day, 50 troopers, automatic weapons. So you better start thinking up some other little plan, which I shall know before almost you do yourself. Well, Klink, shall we get on with the research project? And move out the men.'  
'Yes, Sir. Of course, Herr General.'

Gathering around Hogan once the Germans left, they were all worried about their plan going down the drain but they knew they'd scrap up another plan and it all relied on Hogan bluffing this troublesome General.  
'What do we do know Colonel?'  
'Fighting against a ruddy crystal ball.'  
'It sounds kind of spooky to me.'  
'What'll I do with my bombs, Colonel?'  
'Carter…'  
'Forget it, Sir. I'm sorry. You've got your own problems.'  
'We'll move them into position anyway Carter, they'll be safer out there if something should go wrong.' Hunter suggested, a little wary of the bombs sitting under their camp.  
'While you're working on that, I'll work on this General.' Hogan nodded, mind whirling for a new plan.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Donning their new uniforms and scrambling aboard the plane, Hogan's mixed up little crew took their positions and got ready for another very interesting night. After taking a look in the cockpit, Rufus had given up flight for Hogan, figuring he'd be more help in subduing the General than trying to cram into that cramped little seat.  
'You sure you don't want to fly Rufus?'  
'I'm good Hogan; this thing is a little cramped for my taste. It's been longer for you, enjoy.'  
'Thanks Rufus, this is going to be fun.'  
'Think of it as a little birthday present from all of us.'  
'I like your style buddy.'

Getting the order from Hogan, the four men waiting by the door tensed in preparation for their phase of the mission. The moment the General was in range, Rufus reached over LeBeau and dragged him inside, throwing him bodily to the floor and pinning him there. Vaulting over Newkirk, Emily reached into her pocket and produced the handcuffs she'd pilfered off a guard quite some time ago.  
'All secure here, Colonel.' Rufus called, tangling up the kicking legs of the General and holding tight as Emily got the cuffs on Biedenbender and secured them firmly.  
'Welcome aboard Stalag 13 Airlines. Anything we can do to make your flight more comfortable, please feel free to call upon us. Thank you.' Newkirk added, helping to haul the General up and move him out of the way.  
'Colonel Hogan is your pilot, we are your stewards, and Sergeant Carter is your bombardier.' LeBeau added, doing his bit to pin the General until Emily bound his wrists to the inner bracing to keep him contained.  
'Bombardier?'  
'But of course. You're about to commit treason.' Emily winked, smiling softly as Hogan got them into the sky and away. 'Hey LeBeau, better go see if you can't calm Schultz down with a treat.'  
'I don't have anything to offer him.'  
'Here, this should work.' Rufus shrugged, unzipping the large pocket on the chest of his flight suit and pulling out a neatly wrapped item.  
'What's this?'  
'A sandwich, I used some of the supplies below to make it.'  
'That should do the trick. Thanks Rufus.' LeBeau nodded, snagging the offering and heading forward.

Settling back against the bulkhead as they made the flight, Emily smiled softly as Newkirk settled beside her and reached into his pocket, digging out a chocolate bar. Smile widening, Emily countered his offer with two tiny bottles of scotch, a suitable toast to a job well done.  
'Emily, I hate to ask but can you go squeeze in beside Carter? He's a little trigger happy.'  
'Yeah, I can do that Hogan.' Emily nodded, sighing softly as she stood and made her way forward. 

Thinking very skinny thoughts, she squeezed in beside Carter and got comfortable, watching the ground below them and searching for their target.  
'What are you doing in here Emily?'  
'I wanted to be a part of this too. We worked together on these bombs, we might as well push the button together.' Emily lied, figuring Carter wouldn't appreciate the truth.  
'I heard what Colonel Hogan said. It's almost like he doesn't trust me to do this right.'  
'It's nothing personal Carter, he's just making sure. We're only going to get one chance to pull this off and accidents happen.'  
'I'll buy that Emily.'  
"How about it, Kinch? Stuttheim?"  
"That's how I make it, Colonel. The refinery should be below us in about 15 seconds."  
"Hear that Carter?"  
'You bet I did, Colonel. Now?'  
"No, not now. Hold on Carter."  
'Soon Andrew, we'll see our creations at work real soon. Here, you put your hand over mine and we'll do this together at Hogan's command.' Emily offered, placing her hand over the controls and grinning as Carter placed his atop.  
'Ready Emily.'  
"Easy, boy. Steady, Emily. All right, Carter. Get ready, Emily. Now! Now! Now!" gazing through the sighting window, Emily clicked the button three times, releasing their handmade bombs and watching them fall.

Just barely able to hear them over the roaring of the engines, Emily and Carter shared a proud smile and jostled a little at the window but the darkness had enfolded over their babies and taken them from sight. Then they heard it, three beautiful explosions just as a massive fireball lit up the night sky.  
'Well done Carter, a perfect hit.'  
'Couldn't have done it without you Emily.'  
'We make a pretty good team.'  
'We sure do. Just a shame we couldn't see all four of them in action.'  
'We'll find another use for our last little bomb. Don't worry, it won't go to waste.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Buckling his harness securely and getting Rufus to check it, Andrew joined the line waiting to jump but first they had to get Schultz out and on his way.  
'All right Schultz. Let's go.'  
'Colonel Hogan, I'm too old to parachute jump!'  
'Never too old, Schultz. Come on.'  
'Colonel Hogan, I'm to big to parachute jump!'  
'Now there you have a point. Are we all set?'  
'We're over Stalag 13 in 30 seconds.'  
'All right now, everybody land outside the fence. We don't need show offs. Open the hatch. Let's go.'  
'Colonel Hogan, mind if I jump first?' Rufus asked, figuring out a safe way to jump without risking another concussion.  
'By all means Rufus. I was going to get Schultz out first but if you want to go.'  
'Andrew, when you're ready.' Rufus nodded, walking over and taking a seat in the doorway.  
'Happy landings Rufus.' Andrew grinned, giving him a good shove out the door and watching him for a moment before ducking out of the way so they could get Schultz out.  
'Now, Schultz…listen to me. Listen to me. Listen, all you gotta do is jump, count ten and pull the ring. Copy? Off you go.'  
'How about nine? Or eight?'  
'Come on.'

The good old push-pull-push trick got Schultz out the door, minus the bit of skin he left on the door as he went out.  
'Just me luck I'll meet him on the way up.' Newkirk called, glancing at Hogan before taking flight. Andrew waited a moment before throwing himself out the door. Making his count, Andrew pulled the ripcord and gulped when nothing happened. Pulling again, he felt the ripcord give but his chute didn't deploy. Grabbing his backup, he tried that as well but still got no result.  
'Peter!' he screamed, spotting his mate just ahead and streamlining to catch up with him. Spotting Andrew racing towards him from the side, Peter barely had time to register a problem before Andrew grabbed his harness and held on desperately.  
'What 'appened Andrew?'  
'Chute failure. 'Elp me Peter.'  
'What am I supposed to do?'  
'Keep flying, I'll work it out.' Andrew replied, reaching into his pockets and fishing out four shining carabineers. Stretching up, he hooked the carabineers through Peter's harness before climbing up.  
'Whoa, are you trying to get us both killed? Quit moving!'  
'I stay 'anging from your 'arness by me 'ands and I'll fall. Trust me on this Peter.' Andrew replied, slipping the carabineers through his own harness and screwing the locks closed. Placing his faith in the four stainless steel carabineers, Andrew reached up and wrapped his hands over Peter's, then wrapped his legs around Peter's hips. Working his hands out from under Andrew's, Peter put his hands on top and let Andrew steer them to a safe landing near Schultz and Rufus.

Catching a crosswind at the last moment, Andrew tried to avoid the trees but there was no space to move and he got them hung up in the branches. Looking down from their awkward position, Peter estimated the drop and nodded slowly, satisfied they could make the drop.  
'Andrew, you still with me mate?'  
'Yeah, I think so Peter.' Andrew nodded, unlocking the carabineers and holding onto the straps over their heads as he unhooked all four.  
'You'll be alright mate, just drop down.' Peter soothed, touching Andrew's hand lightly.  
'Don't think I'm up to much more than that.' Andrew uttered, releasing his grip and dropping to the ground. Releasing his own harness, Peter arched out a little and landed beside Andrew.

Trembling in fear, Andrew just stared at his hands as Peter unbuckled his harness and peeled it away, gathering up the carabineers and stuffing them into Andrew's pocket where they'd be safe.  
'Andrew, talk to me, mate. Andrew? 'Ey, come on now mate.' Peter tried, nudging him lightly.  
'Peter? Is it over now?' Andrew uttered, lifting his gaze slowly.  
'We're back on solid ground, it's alright now. 'Ere, drink this.' Peter nodded, fishing out one of the bottles of scotch and handing it over.  
'Thanks mate.' Andrew gulped, opening the bottle and swallowing the contents quickly.  
'Come on, the others will be waiting for us. Can you walk?' Peter coaxed, offering his hand.  
'Just give me a minute Peter. That was a little closer than I was expecting.'  
'You 'andled it well though Andrew. I'm proud of you mate.'  
'Thanks Peter. Blimey, thought I was a goner there.'  
'Smart thinking with the carabineers though.'

Looking up when the rest of the group found them, Andrew staggered to his feet and swayed for a moment before stumbling behind a tree and throwing up violently.  
'What happened?' Hogan asked, picking up the discarded harness on the ground.  
'Both chutes are duds.' Newkirk shrugged, walking over to check on Andrew's condition.  
'Are you both alright?' LeBeau asked, already planning to make up something to calm Hunter's stomach when they got back to camp.  
'Badly shaken but uninjured.'  
'Rufus is just getting Schultz out of another tree, Colonel.' Kinch briefed, looking around the group as Andrew heaved again. 'Everything alright over here?'  
'Hunter came a little too close to leaving the war. His parachute malfunctioned.' Hogan replied, watching as Peter guided Andrew out from behind the tree.  
'Alright, I got Schultz down.' Rufus grinned, leading the portly guard into the circle.  
'Then we're all here. Let's get back to camp.' Hogan nodded, doing a quick headcount. 'Wait, where's Carter?'  
'He was right behind me, Colonel.' LeBeau shrugged, looking around for the youngest member of the team.  
'There you guys are. I thought you'd already headed back without me. Boy, you don't look well Hunter.' Carter grinned, sliding up beside LeBeau. 'You really don't look well at all.'  
'Comin' a minute from death will do that for ya Carter.' Andrew groaned, draped over Newkirk's shoulders tiredly.  
'You lean on me, 'unter, I'll see you 'ome safe.'  
'Thanks Peter. 'Ope I don't 'eave on ya.'  
'Forgiven in advance mate.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Making it back to barracks, Hunter changed into his nightshirt and crashed into bed, still shaking like the proverbial leaf as Newkirk draped the thin blanket over his shoulders.  
'I'm cursed Peter, I swear it.'  
'What makes you say that 'unter?'  
'First time I get shot down over Germany, the ruddy krauts shoot me parachute full of holes, it tears when it catches a tree and I busted me ankle. This time, me ruddy parachute don't work at all. I'm cursed when it comes to parachuting.'  
'Just a run of bad luck, don't worry. Look at the good things that 'ave 'appened between those two jumps. You made it 'ere, and found out you ain't alone. Isn't that something to prove you ain't cursed?'  
'Maybe Peter, maybe. I'm still pretty shaken up.'  
'Shhh, try and get some rest 'unter. You're safe now, I'll keep watch until you fall asleep.'  
'Pete?'

That one whispered word signalled a change in their dynamic. Andrew was slipping away and Emily was returning to the front of this very complex personality.  
'Yeah Em?' he asked, taking a seat at her side and stroking her hair.  
'Thanks for being there when I needed you the most.' she uttered, shuffling over and curling around his hips.  
'I'll always be around Emily, no matter what. I love you.' he replied, wiping away a stray tear on her cheek.  
'I love you too, you and no other.' Emily nodded, taking his hand and holding tight. 'Stay until I fall asleep.'  
'Wouldn't be anywhere else, luv.' Peter promised, fingers tracing over her arm and back until she finally fell asleep. Gently pulling his hand from hers, Peter eased her back onto her bunk and tucked her in lovingly. 'Sleep well me angel.' he whispered, changing and climbing into bed at last.


	14. Don't Forget To Write

Looking up from his latest artwork to brighten up the barracks, Rufus rolled his eyes at the group gathered around the chicken coop on the table.  
'Herman, come on. I need another egg for the soufflé.'  
'Be a good chap, 'erman. Give over or out, whichever is easier.'  
'Oh, Herman, come on.'  
'Hi. Any luck?'  
'Unless he shapes up, no soufflé tonight.'  
'Watch this. Chicken, this is your commanding officer speaking. You lay an egg and that's an order. Nobody respects officers anymore.'  
'Any action?'  
'Nothing. That chicken's a ruddy kraut if you ask me. Stubborn.'  
'Newkirk, name calling never solves anything.'  
'Come on, darling. I want a soufflé tonight.'  
'Hey, Schultz, aren't you supposed to be on guard duty?'  
'Yeah, but Colonel Klink is busy in his office with a Colonel from Berlin.'  
'Really? Which one is that?'  
'His name is Bessler, personnel officer of the Luftwaffe. Another big shot on a very important assignment.'  
'Personnel officer, huh? I guess I'll have to look into that.'  
'Colonel Hogan, this is none of your concern. Come on chickie, come on.'

Choking on a snort of laughter when Schultz started clucking like a chicken, Rufus quickly turned his attention back to the page he was working on so he didn't draw too much attention.  
'Herman. Oh, that's great.'  
'Was it something I said?'  
'Now what was it you found so funny Rufus?' Hogan asked, turning to the massive pilot once Schultz was gone.  
'You guys really are idiots. Hogan, there is a list tacked to the back of your office door, listing all the animals Emily's moved into that new tunnel section we dug. Included in that list are six chickens, all laying a plentiful supply of eggs.' Rufus sniggered, putting his art project aside for a later time.  
'I thought I told everyone no more pets.' Hogan sighed, heading to check the list on his door. 'This is going too far.'  
'What is it Colonel?' Kinch asked, wondering how far Emily had pushed things.  
'One cat, two dogs, six chickens, three goats and a goose.'  
'The goose is for Christmas, provided it's fat enough.' Rufus shrugged, rocking to his feet.  
'Christmas goose? She must be barmy.' Newkirk remarked, shocked by the idea but looking forward to it.  
'Couldn't get a turkey so goose it will be.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Listening to the conversation in Klink's quarters, Emily let her mind go into overdrive, coming up with a wonderful assortment of tricks that might be able to pull Klink's tail out of the fire yet again. Running through her mental supply list, she separated out a nice little collection of suggestions to run past Hogan and the team.  
'Well, he did it. The Iron Eagle just got his tail caught in the barbed wire.'  
'Good riddance to 'im. Glad to see the last of 'im.'  
'Talk is cheap Newkirk. We've got two prisoners waiting to escape; now this happens.'  
'Well, if they do transfer Klink, we might get lucky with another kraut we can train.'  
'And suppose we don't? Suppose the new commandant's an efficiency expert? We gotta figure a way to stop that transfer.'  
'Well, I can't believe they'd take 'im. 'E makes a lot of noise, but 'e's empty inside, you know.'  
'You kidding? If he passes that physical, he's gone.'  
'Well, maybe he won't pass.'  
'You know, he's got something there. If Klink doesn't pass his physical, we might be able to save his neck.'  
'Question, Sir. Must we?'  
'Hogan, I've got a few things that might help Klink flunk his physical. Nothing to harm him, just make sure his nerves are completely shot.' Emily suggested, leaving the office and rifling through her collection of gear.

Finding what she wanted, she returned to the office with a small plastic bag filled with tiny black balls. Carefully working a single one out of the bag, she stopped it from rolling away before picking up a pencil and tapping the little thing. There was a sudden sharp crack, giving the men in the room a mighty shock.  
'What the 'ell was that 'unter?' Newkirk asked, looking up from where he'd fallen.  
'I call these little beauties shock rocks.'  
'Certainly gave me a shock.' Kinch agreed, rising back to his full height.  
'And just what are you suggesting we do with these shock rocks?' Hogan asked, righting his stool and looking at the bag in Emily's hand.  
'Litter the camp with them, scatter them everywhere we can. As people walk about, they'll go off in a rising chorus and Klink will never be able to calm his nerves. I've got another four bags of these, more than enough to ruin Klink's chances of passing that physical. So long as we don't over seed the camp, things should be back to normal in a few days, depending on the amount of foot traffic through certain areas. I suggest we liberally dose the area around the kommandantur for maximum impact but also scatter some throughout the camp to increase our chances of keeping Klink.'  
'Alright then, how do we plant these things then?' Hogan nodded, warming to the idea.  
'Got any thin rubber tubing?'  
'Oui, there should be some in the tunnel. I'll go get it.' LeBeau nodded, heading for the tunnel entrance.  
'Okay, we put a small hole in the corner of our pockets and attach the piping which runs the length of our legs and stays hidden at all times. We'll have to work out some kind of a stopper for the tube so we don't have shock rocks loose in the barracks. Simply pour some of the shock rocks into your pocket and talk a walk.'  
'Newkirk, reckon you can figure out the stopper problem?'  
'I'll give it a shot Colonel.'  
'Alright then, you have a go Emily. We'll all pitch in and help out.'  
'This is going to be great. Klink isn't going to have a chance at passing once these little things have worked their magic.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Gathered under the water tower, the group working on Klink's failure were having a good laugh at their antics and adjusting more and more to the shock rocks still going off all the time.  
'And old Klinkie sleeping outside last night. Talk about a room with a view.'  
'All right. All right, hold it fellas. I just got the word. Klink gets his physical in 48 hours. Between now and the time that doctor examines him I don't want Klink to shut his eyes. No sleep at all.'  
'Blimey Colonel, that's not going to be easy.' Andrew whistled, going through his supply list for any ideas.  
'That ought to do something to his blood pressure.'  
'And his pulse rate.'  
'Yeah, but Colonel, how do we keep him awake.'  
'Talk to him, amuse him. Anything at all. We'll work in shifts and go on rotation. Carter, you lead off with McKenzie. Kinch, LeBeau, second shift. Hunter and Newkirk next. Schultz and I will take fourth shift. All clear?'  
'Right Sir.'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'I reckon I've got some tricks in my kit that will do wonders for keeping him awake.' Andrew nodded, glancing at Hogan for permission.  
'The chips are down so make this work. Under no circumstances is Klink to fall asleep. Hunter, go get your new toys.'  
'Got it Colonel.' Andrew grinned, heading for the barracks with Hogan.

Digging through his stockpiles, Andrew found the little bottle he wanted and stood, holding out the bottle for Hogan's inspection.  
'What have you got here then?'  
'Triple-strength uppers. Drop one of these in his tea and he'll be awake for hours. The more we slip him, the more awake he'll feel but inside, the exhaustion builds. Once he fails, we take him off the uppers and he'll crash. He won't be the most pleasant guy to be around but we'll make it work.'  
'Good man. Share these out among everyone involved, I'll hang onto Schultz's set.'  
'Got it Colonel.' Andrew nodded, fishing in his kit again and finding a handful of smaller bags. Dropping five tables into each bag, he handed two to Hogan before slipping from the barracks again.

It didn't take long to hand around the bags and explain the use of the pills to everyone in on the plan. Catching up with Peter, he handed over the last bag and grinned, a cheeky little plan coming to mind.  
''Ey, when we get our shot with Klink, I was thinking we take 'im for a little walk around camp. Schultz is in on the plan and if the guards see Klink, they won't question us walking with 'im. That'll tire 'im out more but the uppers will keep 'im awake and we'll get 'im with the shock rocks again.'  
'You are an evil man Andrew, no doubt about it.'  
'But it'll work wonders for 'im failing that test.'  
'I'll be glad when we don't 'ave to listen to those ruddy shock rocks anymore.'  
'Chin up Peter, it's only for a few more days. We 'aven't dosed the ground again; the coverage is getting patchy in spots.'  
'Should we redo those areas?'  
'Some of them, just to get a good coverage for tonight. Come on, won't take us long to do that.'  
'Right behind you Andrew.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Unrolling something on Klink's desk, Rufus knew he'd caught the Colonel's attention with the accurate scale drawing of the Heinkel bomber. The design was incomplete though and that was the target of Rufus' time with Klink.  
'Where did you get this?' Klink demanded, running his gaze over the image.  
'I drew it myself Colonel, I've got an eye for detail. I'm not up to anything funny; I just wanted to draw something different. I know how to draw pretty good Fokker's and a lot of allied planes but Heinkel bombers are a new challenge to me. I was hoping you could help with some details.'  
'What sort of details?'  
'Nothing secret. Just a paint scheme to put on it. I don't want to put allied markings on this, it wouldn't be right. Surely you can tell me about a Heinkel I can use for this.'  
'Well, I suppose you could make it into my bomber. I flew Heinkel's before becoming Kommandant.'  
'That'd be perfect Sir. Now think back and describe the paint scheme of your Heinkel to me so I can draw in the details.' Rufus nodded, getting up and refilling Klink's teacup and dropping in another upper before handing it back.

Listening to Klink wax lyrical about his old bomber, Rufus kept his head down and worked the colours into the image, occasionally interrupting to ask for a clarification of a colour or to get Klink's opinion on the design. This got Klink talking about the old days, weaving tales of his time in the air and the things he'd done. Listening politely, Rufus kept working on his drawing, his art set propped up on the spare chair at his side. Klink was still talking when Rufus finished the design of the plane so he started on the background, sketching in a simple airfield and some other planes in the background. Standing in the foreground, he drew a single figure and switched to a different pencil to put in the detail. He spotted the bomber group photo on the wall and walked over to it, Klink apparently too caught up in his stories to notice Rufus had moved. Taking the photo down, Rufus returned to his drawing and picked a younger Klink out of the photo, quickly changing a few details on his lonely figure before colouring it in carefully.

Klink finally noticed the photo Rufus was holding but he decided not to ask and launched into another story as he stood and made himself another cup of tea. Glancing at his watch, he was surprised to see he'd been talking for nearly three hours, and Rufus' picture was coming along nicely. Looking up when Klink came around to stand at his shoulder, Rufus calmly finished adding the last details before holding up the picture.  
'Well, what do you think of that?' he asked, handing Klink the page and dropping another pill into his tea.  
'This is incredible Rufus, simply incredible.' Klink praised, admiring the picture in his hands.  
'You can keep it if you'd like Sir. It wouldn't take me long to knock up a frame for it, with your permission. I wouldn't be able to get glass for it but that won't matter too much.'  
'You have my permission Rufus, I think it would look very nice hanging right there.' Klink nodded, indicating a blank spot on the wall.  
'I think so too Sir. I'll get onto that right away.' Rufus agreed, getting up and securing his art set before accepting the picture and leaving, handing the Klink watch to Carter.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Despite their best effort, Klink still somehow managed to pass his physical, despite the fact he was off the uppers and had crashed hard right in front of the doctor. So here they all were, standing on parade to witness the transfer of command from Klink to Gruber.   
'In accordance with staff order number 4598723J6, duly signed by General Burkhalter, I hereby relinquish my command of Stalag 13 to Captain Fritz Gruber.'  
'Stand at attention. Your beloved Kommandant, Wilhelm Klink, has volunteered for duty on the Eastern Front.' a great cheer went up from the prisoners, much to Klink's pleasure. 'Quiet. With the transfer of command, certain changes will be made. From now on, you will obey every order and regulation to the letter. Anyone who fails to do so will be punished without mercy.'  
'Attaboy, Fritz, baby.' someone called, sending the group into fits of laughter again.  
'Sergeant, that man there, 30 days in solitary. And as a reminder to the rest of you, all recreational privileges are cancelled for the same period.'  
'It shall be done, Herr Captain.'  
'Captain, I must protest this unusual…'  
'I am not interested in your protest. Dismissed.'

Turning away from Gruber and blocking his sights of the small radio in her sleeve, Emily flicked over to a secure channel and slid her earpiece into place.  
'Knight, this is Hunter. Do you copy? Knight, this is Hunter. Come in Knight.'  
"Knight here. What's the situation in camp Hunter?"  
'I'm going to paint you a target. Ruffle his feathers but minimal bloodshed.'  
"Why minimal bloodshed Hunter?"  
'We'll try to scare him off. Failing that, we'll kill him.'  
"Copy that Hunter. Light up my target."

Using Newkirk and Kinch as a blocking force, Emily activated a small red laser pointer up her other sleeve and flicked it into Gruber's back, careful to keep anyone else from seeing it.  
"Target locked Hunter. Five shots. Repeat; five shots."  
'Five shots confirmed Knight.' Emily nodded, slipping her earpiece out of sight again. 'Clear the area around Gruber of all prisoners.' she whispered, switching back to her English accent.

Then it happened, the first shot from the forest sniper raced through the camp and went right through Gruber's cap. The second pinged off his right epaulette, the third took a piece of his ear, the fourth carved a piece from his belt and the fifth thudded into the ground between his boots. Gruber was too stunned to move, having never been warned of the forest sniper living somewhere near Stalag 13. From their places on the ground, Klink and Burkhalter looked at each other before Gruber collapsed, the stress of an unknown situation getting to him.  
"Knight to Hunter. How was that?"  
'Perfect Knight. He's out cold on the ground.'  
"I was worried about that belt shot. No blood?"  
'Can't be certain but I know he's alive.'  
"Copy that. Continue sniping or disappear?"  
'Put out a few shots randomly for good measure.'  
"Acknowledged."  
'Everyone inside. Stay low and get out of sight.' Hogan called, shoving Carter towards the barracks door as Aloysius opened fire again.

Wisely staying low in case of accidents, the prisoners hugged the floor and counted the shots echoing across the camp. The forest sniper tended to stick to the same number of shots each time but despite numerous attempts to locate him, he was still causing chaos for the krauts around Stalag 13.  
''E getting a lot better with 'is shooting.' Newkirk remarked, glancing at Hunter.  
''aven't 'ad one through the barracks in ages.' Hunter agreed, checking Carter was okay.  
'Are you sure he's on our side?' LeBeau asked, hiding under one of the bunks.  
'He's just playing a part LeBeau, like everyone else.' Rufus soothed, confident Aloysius would never aim towards his barracks.  
'That sounded like a window.' Kinch mused, lifting his head when he heard a smash.  
'It was a window Kinch, but not in here.' Hogan replied, checking his office and nodding.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

'Roll call! Everybody, out, out, out! Roll call!' snapping away when Schultz's voice rang out in the darkness, Hunter recoiled and blinked slowly as the lights came on and Schultz kept right on yelling. 'Everybody out! Formation outside! Formation outside!'  
'Oh, Schultzie, pipe down.'  
'Everybody out, out! Out! Put your clothes on! Roll call!'  
'What do you mean roll call?'  
'Roll call! Don't look at me like this! Orders from the new Kommandant. And, oh boy, is he a real sweetheart. Up! Hurry up! Everybody out, out, out! Roll call! Raus!'  
'Yeah, raus yourself!'  
'Close the door, its cold.'

Rolling out of bed and changing quickly, Andrew shivered and grabbed his greatcoat, still not quite sure he was awake but he'd get there and probably just in time for them to go back to sleep.  
'What's all the excitement?'  
'Surprise roll call outside in five minutes. Gruber's orders.'  
'Shocking thing this time of night.'  
'We have to get rid of Gruber.'  
'Alright, alright, hold it down. Hold it down. We only have a couple of minutes. You're right. We've got to do something about Gruber, and we gotta do it fast.'  
'You got any ideas, Colonel?'  
'Just one, and let's hope it works. LeBeau, Carter, Newkirk and Hunter, take off through the emergency tunnel now. I'll report you missing at roll call.'  
'Escape where?'  
'Use the three emergency hideouts until they come for you. Understood?'  
'Right.'  
'All right, the rest of you get ready for roll call.'

Following Newkirk down the ladder and into the tunnels, Hunter still had no idea what was going on but the chance to get away and spend some private time with Peter was a nice bonus.  
'Okay, so who is going where?' LeBeau asked, leading the way down the tunnel.  
'Well I'll take the hay stack.' Carter offered, figuring he'd be warm there.  
'I know I'd usually take the barn but can we 'ave the cave this time?' Newkirk asked, knowing LeBeau liked the cave hideout.  
'Will you both fit in there? It's not very big.'  
'We'll make it work LeBeau, don't worry.' Hunter replied, glancing at Newkirk.  
'Besides, there's a pretty girl at the farm where the barn hideout is.'  
'Alright, you can have the cave this time.'  
'Thanks LeBeau.' Newkirk grinned, checking the coast was clear before hurrying up the ladder, Hunter right behind him.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Crawling into the cave, Schultz came upon a very interesting sight. Using one greatcoat for a pillow and the other for a blanket, Newkirk and Hunter slept peacefully back-to-back, caps held tight in their hands as they dreamed of home and family most likely.  
'Newkirk. Hunter. Wake up you two. Newkirk. Hunter. Wake up.' he tried, shaking them both quickly.  
'Keep it down Schultz, I'm beat.' Newkirk groaned, batting his hand off.  
'Come back later Schultz, we had a long night.' Hunter added, lifting his head.  
'Come back? Are you crazy? You are escaped prisoners, come on. Come on Newkirk, let's go. Hunter, move out.' Schultz continued, shaking at them again and pulling on their jackets.  
'Alright, alright. Steady on the uniform, only got one to last the war.' Hunter sighed, digging Newkirk in the ribs and sitting up.  
'No respect, I'm telling you.' Newkirk sighed, draping his greatcoat over his back as he crawled from the cave, Hunter at his side.

Emerging from the cave and straightening, they took a moment to stretch and scratch in the late morning sun. Carter had already been found and sat in the truck, watching the goings on with mild interest.  
'Into the truck you two. Raus, raus, raus.'  
'Alright Schultzie, we're going. Come on 'unter, back to the daily grind.' Newkirk sighed, lighting up a cigarette before climbing up.  
'Some things never change.' Hunter agreed, lighting up his own cigarette and clambering over the tailgate.  
'How was your night guys?' Carter asked, grinning as Hogan climbed up to join them.  
'Not too bad actually. A lot warmer in there than back at camp, that's for sure.' Newkirk shrugged, greatcoat draped over his knees.  
'The floor was a little hard but it wasn't too bad considering.' Hunter agreed, jolting slightly as the truck moved off again.  
'I'll bet LeBeau 'ad sweet dreams with the lovely Brunhilde to keep 'im company.' Newkirk uttered, winking at Hunter.  
'You 'ad some pretty sweet dreams of your own. I 'eard you callin' to Emily, your love.' Hunter shot back, figuring he might as well have a dig at his best mate.  
'I'm telling you Andrew, me lovely lady Emily is a real beauty. Long brown 'air cascading down 'er back, the most incredible depthless brown eyes you've ever seen and 'er laugh…it sounds like angels singing in the 'eavens.'  
'She's a very lucky woman obviously. 'Ad to be to make a catch like you Peter.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Back at Stalag 13, Aloysius perched up in another tree and listened to the orders from Emily, waiting for his moment to strike. He saw the truck come on, watched Schultz herd the four escapees towards the cooler then turned his attention to the kommandantur. He didn't have to wait too long before Gruber emerged again, obviously quite upset about losing his command of the prison camp.  
'No one bullies my buddy and gets away with it.' he uttered, drawing his aim on the back of Gruber's head and gently squeezing the trigger. His shot was perfect, sending a spray of blood, bone and brain matter shooting out in a wide arc as the lifeless body of Captain Fritz Gruber fell to the ground. Just for good measure, he put a few loose shots around the camp before scrambling out of the tree and heading back to the emergency exit, disappearing from discovery before anyone could even respond to what had happened.

Slowly looking up from where they'd fallen after the first shot rang out, the prisoners and guards all stared at the body near the kommandantur in disbelief and wonder. The prisoners silently praised the forest sniper for ensuring no camp would get this evil man for a Kommandant. The guards cursed the forest sniper for killing a fellow German but were glad at least that it was someone they didn't really like. Burkhalter said nothing but secretly hoped the mysterious sniper that no one could find would get Klink and end his troubles with the cowardly man. Klink just stared in horror at the grizzly scene but when he looked at Hogan, he got the feeling that this mystery sniper out in the forest would not harm him.


	15. Praise The Fuhrer And Pass The Ammunition

Another day, another mind numbing parade and yet another random visitor coming to Stalag 13. At least today was a half decent day for being outside.  
'Looks like the ruddy krauts are on their way to a costume party.'  
'The elite SS animals.'  
'I've got a feeling this guy is going to start some trouble.' Andrew uttered, watching the group gathered by the truck.  
'Colonel Deutsch, I'm Colonel Klink, this is a great honour.'  
'I know.'  
'To have one of the truly great war heroes right here in Stalag 13 is a personal honour for me. You know, I have heard so much about you, Sir.'  
'I cannot say the same about you.'  
'What would they be doing here?' Kinch asked, leaning forward from his spot.  
'Maybe they came to capture us again. Very thorough, the Germans.' Hogan replied, eyeing the group warily.  
'Sir, to what do I owe this great honour?'  
'A warning, Klink. Tomorrow, my regiment will be conducting training exercises nearby and I want you to keep all your personnel out of the area.'  
'Sir, I can assure you there will be no interference. Schultz, notify the guards.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.'  
'So, those are the pigs in your pigpen?'  
'Well, I suppose if you want to call it that.'  
'Tell me something, do the swine ever give you any trouble?'  
'Colonel Deutsch, in over 200 attempts, we have never had a successful escape from Stalag 13.'  
'I never worry about prisoners. I never take any.'  
'You don't?'  
'I like my enemy only one way. Dead.'

Picking up on something he didn't like, Andrew stepped forward and planted himself in front of Newkirk, watching the SS Colonel as he snatched a grenade from one of his underlings and calmly pulled the pin before tossing it towards the prisoners. Shaking off Newkirk's reaching hand, Andrew ran forward and scooped up the grenade without fear then turned and lobbed it full strength towards the fence line. It soared right outside camp and bounced on the road, harmless as ever.  
'It's alright guys, 'e's just mucking about. It's a ruddy dummy grenade, only way its dangerous is if 'e used it as a ruddy club.' he smirked, hauling Peter up and pointing to the harmless black object on the road.  
'Blimey Andrew, it could 'ave been live. You 'ad no way of knowing.'  
'And like some kraut is going to stand that close to a live grenade. We wouldn't be so ruddy lucky Peter. If it was live, these members of the so called "super race" would have gone running for the hills.'  
'My compliments, Corporal. That was one of the grenades we will be using in our war games. However, were it a live grenade, would you have done the same thing?'  
'Bloody oath, I would 'ave. I ain't scared of a 'and grenade when me mates lives are at stake.' Andrew nodded, lifting his chin and glaring at the Colonel. 'You don't scare me Colonel, never 'ave, never will.'

As if signalled by Andrew's words, the forest sniper opened fire again, pinging rounds off the waiting truck and knocking the Colonel's cap off. This time Andrew did hit the dirt, not wanting to be anywhere near the krauts while the forest sniper was doing what he did best.  
'You're mad, you know that mate.' Newkirk uttered, stretched out beside him.  
'When are you ever going to learn to trust me Pete?'  
'The way you're going, never again.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

The bullet bombardment over, the prisoners filed back into their barracks as Klink sent out yet another group to try and capture the forest sniper. Checking the monitor hidden up his sleeve, Andrew nodded and signalled that Aloysius was safely back in the tunnels again, much to everyone's relief.  
'Andrew, you did us proud out there.' Rufus praised, clapping him on the shoulder.  
'Yeah, you really told those smug supermen.'  
'All right, hold it. Let's give credit where credit's due. It was a beautiful practical joke. But we may have the last laugh.'  
'If you have a nasty plan for them, count us in.'  
'The war games they're having tomorrow. I see casualties, lots of casualties.'  
'Casualties in war games?'  
'I've heard of it before.' Rufus shrugged, wondering where Hogan was going.  
'A few get 'urt, Sir.'  
'I see a lot more than a few.'  
'You want us to take on the whole SS regiment?'  
'No. We let them take on each other. Picture, if you will, the fascinating consequences if their dummy ammunition used in the war games is sprinkled with a goodly amount of the real McCoy.'  
''ey, that's a smashing idea.'  
'It sure is.'  
'So when they start going boom-boom, they really go boom-boom.'  
'Sort of a do-it-yourself massacre.'  
'Colonel Hogan, you're a genius. A diabolical genius.'  
'Oohh, I can just picture the mess this is going to make.' Andrew grinned, dreaming of a very ugly situation.  
'In school, I was voted most likely to be a troublemaker.'  
'Sir, I think it's a brilliant idea but I do 'ave one small question.'  
'How do we pull it off?'  
'Right.'  
'All right. We're gonna heist some live ammunition from the camp arsenal.'  
'Check.'  
'Haul it to the SS ammo dump. Make the switch.'  
'Check.'  
'And be back before roll call.'  
'The cheque just bounced. Whenever we have visiting brass, Klink always tightens security and doubles the guard.'

Poking his head outside, Rufus turned his gaze towards the main camp gate and sighed, watching the shift change and counting twice as many guards as standard.  
'Yup, doubled the guard as expected.' he shrugged, closing the door.  
'You know, Kinch, that's what I hate about you. Every time I start rolling, you make sense.'  
'We need a diversion.' Andrew sighed, going back to his mental list of supplies. 'Oh, hey Schultz.'  
'What's going on here?'  
'We were just playing ring-around-the-rosy.'  
'What's ring-around-the-rosy?'  
'It's a code name Schultz, for a secret Allied operation…'  
'No, no, no. I don't want to hear anything. I hear nothing. We've had enough trouble today. Those crazy SS and their hand grenades. No, I'm here on personal business.'  
'Oh, what can we do for you Schultz?'

Proving once again that Schultz had no subtlety in his body, the portly guard didn't just open the door a crack and peek outside, he stuck his head and shoulders out to look for anyone spying on him.  
'I would like to buy a gift.'  
'You've come to the right place. Newkirk, what have we got in stock?'  
'Is this for a man or a lady?'  
'A man.'  
'Now. What about something nice in a watch?'  
'No, he has a watch.'  
''E got a watch, eh? 'Old on, 'old on. Ah, cigarette lighter. Look at this. To H.G. from J.G.'  
'"To H.G. from J.G." What does it mean?'  
'To 'ermann Goring from Joseph Goebbels.'  
'How did you get it?'  
'Well, it was a mad weekend I was spending at Berchtesgarden…'  
'No, thank you. I am not interested in a lighter.'  
'How about a wallet?'  
'No.'  
'A fountain pen?'  
'No.'  
'Tie clip?'  
'No.'

Popping open his own footlocker, Hunter pulled out a wrapped bundle and walked over to Schultz as he unwrapped the items he'd been sitting on for the right moment.  
''Ey Schultz, 'ow would these go?' he asked, holding out the beautiful carved horse-head bookends. 'You don't see bookends around as 'andsome as these.'  
'Oohh, yeah, I like that. How much?'  
'Well, they're $5. But, well, you can have them for $3.98.'  
'I'll take it. Here. One, two, three, four. You can keep the two cents as a tip.'  
'You're all 'eart. You want them gift wrapped?'  
'No, thank you. I'll do it myself.'  
'Well 'ere, put them in this so Klink won't see what you got him.' Hunter offered, holding out the cloth he'd had the bookends wrapped in.  
'Oh, good idea.' Schultz nodded, bundling up the bookends securely. 'Oh, these will look nice on Kommandant Klink's desk.'  
'Wait, Schultz, Colonel Klink?'  
'He has birthday today.'  
'Funny, he didn't tell me.'  
'Why should he tell you? A dear friend, you are not.' Schultz replied, turning and leaving with his present.  
'You know, he's right. A dear friend I'm not. But I'm gonna be.'  
'What do you mean Colonel?'  
'I have a bad feeling about this.' Rufus muttered, wary of Hogan's diversion plan.  
'Gentlemen, I think we have just found our diversion. We're going to put on a show for Klink's birthday.'  
'I'll brush up my tumbling skills.' Hunter remarked, rolling his eyes and glancing at Peter.  
'Don't look at me Andrew, I've got me own act to work on.'  
'Come on, we were great together. Just one more time for old time's sake?' Hunter tried, a mischievous little twinkle in his eyes.  
'Well, all right. I won't deny that we 'ad some fun back then. We're not so young anymore though 'unter.'  
'Eh, that's not gonna stop us for long. A little practise and we'll fly like we used to. Come on, you can trust me, mate.'  
'Just don't drop me like you did last time.'  
'I won't Peter, I promise. Come on, we can practise behind the barracks.'  
'If you don't need us of course Colonel.'  
'Go ahead you two. I look forward to seeing what you can come up with.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Bracing against the impact he knew was coming, Andrew held steady as Peter grabbed his shoulders and jumped, claiming his place on his best mate's shoulders easily. With flexibility hard earned and harder kept, Andrew slid down slowly into the splits and dropped Peter lightly into his feet before rolling forward and standing. Bracing for the return impact, Peter grinned as Andrew ran at him and used his cupped hands to climb up and stand on his shoulders. Hands flying up to grab Andrew's ankles, Peter stepped back to regain his balance and lowered their combined centre of gravity. Powering the jump without crushing his boots into Peter's shoulders, Andrew flew over backwards and tucked into a ball before landing and rolling smoothly across the ground. 

Springing to his feet again, Andrew challenged Peter again and arced over backwards, kicking up into an almost effortless handstand. Rolling his eyes, Peter rolled forward and got his feet up, glancing at Andrew as they started to walk. Signalling the next step, Andrew paused a moment before rocking backwards and tucking his feet in for another tumble. Trusting in the basic training Andrew had given him, Peter replicated the fall and roll, smiling proudly as he bounced back to his feet.  
'Ready for something a little more complex?' Andrew asked, a cocky little grin on his face.  
'Lead the way.' Peter nodded, starting to really enjoy the workout.  
'If you can't do it, there's no pressure. We'll figure something else out.' Andrew added, kicking off and flipping over backwards.  
'I'm not even going to try. You could use that to get up to the stage I guess.' Peter shrugged, watching Andrew doing back flips.  
'Yeah, okay. Not a bad idea at all.' Andrew agreed, regaining his feet and walking back to Peter. 'Shall we try it from the start?'  
'Ask LeBeau and Kinch to come out 'ere. We'll see what they think.'  
'You get them, I'll scratch out a rough stage guess.'

Marking out a small rectangle in the dirt, Andrew paced out the length of the rec hall and calculated how many flips he could fit into the distance as Peter got their friends outside and lined up out of the way. Heading for the pseudo stage, Peter stopped centre stage and paused, the first move Andrew's to make. Turning his back, Andrew launched down the gap between the imagined seats, barely able to see the stage and putting his trust in Peter to clear the path up onto the stage. Arms up straight, Peter waited for the perfect moment and jumped, flying in a graceful arch over Andrew and rolling once before standing as Andrew hit the stage and threw his arms up. Turning and jogging back to the stage, Peter jumped up and stood beside Andrew before they both bent over backwards and came up in handstands, their timing pretty much spot on the money. Moving forward, Andrew stepped down from the stage very carefully before flipping back over, Peter righting a few moments later. The moment his feet touched down, Peter was on the move again, vaulting onto Andrew's shoulders and throwing his arms wide as Peter dropped back into the splits and rolled out from under Peter. Rolling again, he stood at about the halfway point of their runway and waited until Peter was straight and ready. Taking off, he regained Peter's shoulders and acknowledged the crowd before flipping over backwards and rolling along the ground. Bounding back to his feet again, Andrew turned and flipped over and over, eating up the distance slowly to give Peter time to get into position. Stretching out on his back, Peter held up his hands shoulder width apart and braced his elbows on the ground. Pushing off the ground, Andrew flipped up and grabbed Peter's hands, holding a perfect handstand right there. Holding their finale for a few moments, Andrew shifted his bodyweight backwards and arched down to plant his feet beside Peter's knees. Switching their grip, Andrew pulled sharply and hauled Peter onto his feet, turning him to face the crowd in one smooth motion.

For a few moments there was silence, their friends struck dumb by what they'd witnessed. They all knew Emily was an impressive woman but no one had any idea that Peter was anything much when it came to gymnastics. They'd assumed that his forte was card tricks and slight-of-hand gags. Recovering from their shock, the small crowd cheered and applauded the effort, still amazed by what they'd seen from the pair.  
'That was amazing guys. I had no idea you could do that.'  
'Thanks Kinch. I 'ad no idea I could either. It's amazing what you can learn.' Peter grinned, wiping the sweat from his face,  
'You're not a bad student Pete, I'll give you that.' Emily winked, shaking out her hair and stretching.  
'Thanks Em. I'll 'urt tomorrow but it's worth it.'  
'We'll both 'urt tomorrow Peter.' Andrew was back and just in time too as Schultz wandered around behind the barracks.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Stepping onto centre stage again, Peter signalled Andrew, waiting quietly up the back. Returning the signal, Andrew shed his jacket and sweater in readiness for his first stunt.  
'I'm not sure 'ow we're supposed to compete with that LeBeau but we'll have a shot. Alright, 'ailing from the dirty backstreets of London, Corporal Andrew 'unter!'   
'And let's not forget me 'andsome second, Corporal Peter Newkirk.' Andrew replied, climbing up onto a chair and starting his first sequence along the walkway. Springing up to clear Newkirk, Andrew threw in a little something extra and held a handstand on the stage. Shifting his weight, he snapped off a smart salute to Klink and held it a moment before twisting back to his feet.

Glancing at Peter, they went over backwards and took a little stroll, acting as if nothing was any different until Andrew stepped off the stage and they both came back up. Reading the signs from Andrew, Peter launched onto his shoulders and settled, arms wide as Andrew sunk gracefully, surprising everyone with his ability to endure certain groin torture. His forward roll earned a few gasps from their fellow prisoners as his right foot got more than a little close for comfort to Peter's exposed groin. Rolling again, Andrew sprang to his feet and turned as Peter backed up and took his brace position.

Flying up the walkway again, Andrew hit his target bang on and shot up onto Peter's shoulders. Wobbling for a moment, the pair reclaimed their balance and soaked up the applause from their fellow prisoners. Holding up his hands, Andrew waited for calm before kicking off and flying backwards in his most graceful arch. Arms overhead, hands flat and body curling beautifully, he hit the floor and rolled, stopping just short of the wall. Up on stage, Peter pulled off a rather spectacular lateral spin and dropped to the floor, hands up for the big finale. Whipping into his own lateral spin as he came back onto the stage, Andrew fought down a wave of dizziness and caught Peter's hands, the shock of the impact catching them both off guard a little. It hurt but they didn't let it show, holding their position and turning their gaze to Klink to admire his expression of wonder.

Showing their hard earned strength, they switched their grip so the finale ran smoothly and Andrew curled over slowly to place his feet on the floor and ease the weight off his aching wrists. Shifting his grip again, he pulled Peter up and around so they were both facing the crowd, interlocked hands resting on Peter's shoulders. Releasing their grip, they both stepped to the side and bowed, soaking up the praise from their friends and enemies.  
''Ave a very 'appy birthday Colonel Klink. You really are one of a kind.' Andrew grinned, shoving Peter off stage and heading back to grab his coat and hat.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Joining the group on stage for the final gag of the evening, Rufus held a cream pie in one hand and watched as Klink tried to blow out the trick candles Carter had whipped up for the large cake.  
'You'll blow your brains out, Sir. They'll stay lit. They're trick candles.'  
'Trick candles?'  
'Well, we knew you'd enjoy it Sir, with your marvellous sense of humour.'  
'Alright fellas, let's hear it.' Hogan called, sliding smoothly back into the celebrations.  
'For he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good fellow. For he's a jolly good fellow. And nobody can deny.'  
'Hey Colonel, it's not a total waste. We did actually get you a cake.' Rufus grinned, bringing out the cream pie.  
'You did? This looks delicious.'  
'Well here, have a go.' Rufus smirked, leaning past LeBeau to smack the pie into Klink's face. 'Now that wasn't very nice Kinch.'  
'I know nothing. Nothing.' Kinch protested, trying for innocent and hoping he got it.  
'Time to scarper. Come on mates, let's get out of 'ere.' Andrew grinned, leading the charge out the door.  
'Hogan!' Klink cried, wiping a mix of cream and custard from his eyes.

Racing back into their barracks, the group couldn't contain their laughter and fell where they were, holding their stomachs and rolling around on the floor.  
'Beautiful Rufus, absolutely beautiful.' Carter praised, leaning on Kinch as he cracked up again.  
'The trick candles were perfect Carter, well done.' Newkirk added, slumping on Hunter's bunk. 'You alright 'unter?' he asked, catching the pain in Hunter's eyes.  
'Do me wrists look a little swollen to you mate? They've both been aching since that last catch.' Hunter uttered, holding out his hands.  
'Someone get Wilson, 'urry it up.' Newkirk called, cradling both swollen wrists in his hands gently.  
'Got it Newkirk.' LeBeau nodded, scrambling out of the barracks.  
''Ere, you settle back and relax 'unter. Wilson will be 'ere soon, 'e'll check you out.' Newkirk soothed, supporting Hunter's wrists lightly as Kinch came around and helped him turn around and get comfortable.

Hurrying into the barracks, Wilson headed straight for Hunter and perched on the edge of his bunk, gently taking his left wrist and checking it over.  
'Looks like a sprain, Hunter. Best I can do is strap it up and give you a mild painkiller.'  
'Knew I should 'ave strapped me wrists before we started.' Hunter sighed, looking over at Peter. 'But 'ey, we 'ad fun, right?'  
'We sure did mate. Best night ever.' Peter agreed, wishing he could do more for Hunter but right now there wasn't much that could be done. 'I'm glad I let you talk me into it.'  
'And you thought we were too old.'  
'Okay, so I was wrong. You'll be right in a few days, once the swelling goes down.'  
'This won't keep me down for long Peter.' Andrew grinned then hissed when Wilson touched a particularly tender area. 'Easy there mate, that 'urt.'  
'Sorry about that Hunter. That's all done, now the other one.'

By the time Hogan rejoined the group, Wilson was just leaving and Newkirk was giving Hunter a hand to get into his nightshirt before lighting him a cigarette.  
'What happened Hunter?'  
'Misjudged one of our stunts and sprained me wrists, Gov'nor. I'll be right in a few days.' Hunter sighed, taking the offered cigarette and looking at his wrists.  
'Any other injuries to report?'  
'No Sir, everything else went perfectly. Hunter didn't even let us know he was hurting until we got back here.' Rufus replied, getting ready for bed.  
'It was that last catch before the finale, right?' Newkirk asked, grabbing one of the ashtrays off the table and bringing it closer.  
'Yeah, that's the one Peter. 'Urt like 'ell but I knew we 'ad to finish with style.'  
'We managed that, no doubt there. You should 'ave told me though, or at least gone to see Wilson.'  
'What's done is done Peter. Stop worrying, I'll be fine.'  
'It's me nature 'unter, you know that.'


	16. Colonel Klink's Secret Weapon

Listening to Hogan's briefing on the new Sergeant in camp, Andrew got a cheeky little idea to swipe under the Sergeant and dodge what was likely to be a bust on his mission. Perching on his bunk, he removed his left boot and his ankle brace, hiding the contraption in his footlocker before pulling his boot back on.  
''ey Andrew, what are you planning?'  
'Nothing to worry about Peter, just letting this new Sergeant know that 'e won't be pushing me around.'  
'But that's your bad ankle.'  
'Exactly. I'm counting on the Geneva Convention to keep me out of trouble. Besides Pete, I don't feel confident that me disguise will cover me from this guy.'  
'Fair call Em. Just be careful.'  
'I will Peter.'

Hearing the whistle, the guys cleared away any incriminating evidence before filing out slowly, still pulling on their jackets and straightening their hats as they formed up slowly.  
'It took you one minute and 52 seconds to fall out after the whistle. According to regulations, from the time of the whistle to complete formation, you are allowed 48 seconds. As punishment, you will fall out one hour earlier tomorrow morning.'  
'Oh blow it out your ass Fritz!' Rufus called, his voice lost in the chorus from the men.  
'Talking in ranks is also against the regulations. For that, you will fall our two hours earlier tomorrow morning.'  
'Boo! Boo! Boo!'  
'Does the Kommandant have anything to say to the men before the work detail?'  
'Nothing wrong, Sergeant. Everything is fine, just perfect.'  
'Right face! Double-time march. Ein, zwei. Ein, zwei. Ein, zwei.'

Stepping off at the lead of the front line, Hunter knew it was just a matter of time before he went down hard and braced for the impending agony but never changed his step, counting on the fall to get him out of trouble. Keeping good time with the Sergeant, he managed the first pass but as they turned and headed back towards Klink, he felt the first warning signs of an impending problem but dismissed them and kept pushing. Then it happened. With a grinding, crunching click from his left ankle, Hunter went down hard and tumbled across the ground, taking down a few of the guys behind him.  
'Hunter, what happened?' Hogan asked, running over to crouch beside the wounded man.  
'It's me ruddy ankle again Colonel. Oh blimey that 'urts.' Hunter uttered, sitting up slowly and wrapping both hands over his left ankle.  
'What is the hold up? On your feet.' Franks demanded, storming up to the pair.  
'He can't Sergeant.' Hogan replied, following the plan to get Hunter out of danger.  
'He's just lazy. Now on your feet Corporal.' Franks continued, grabbing Hunter's arm and hauling him up. The moment Hunter tried to put weight on his left ankle, he screamed and went down again, bringing Wilson running to help.

Gently working Hunter's boot off, Wilson took in the swelling and sighed, shaking his head slowly as he dug out a bandage and started strapping up the bad sprain.  
'I thought I told you to take it easy on this ankle. You know it's shot so why try running on it?'  
'Don't blame me Wilson; talk it over with the new Sergeant. 'e's the one that demanded a double-time march.' Hunter groaned, knowing he'd be out of action a few days with this.  
'Kommandant, I really must protest. You knew about Corporal Hunter's bad ankle, you saw him fall flat on his face when he first got here. I've given you my medical reports on the matter and yet you still let this happen.' Wilson sighed, looking up at Klink for a moment.  
'It's not his fault Wilson. The Kommandant got too caught up in efficiency ratings to care about the men under his command. I will write to the Red Cross and the protecting body regarding this mistreatment.' Hogan added, helping the rest of his men up and dusting them off.  
'You know what I'm going to say next, don't you Hunter?' Wilson asked, securing the bandage and checking his work.  
'Yeah, I know, I know. Rest me ankle and keep it elevated until the swelling goes down.' Hunter nodded, shuffling over and grabbing his cap from where it had fallen. 'Newkirk, give me a 'and will ya?'  
'I've got you 'unter.' Newkirk nodded, wrapping his arms under Hunter's and helping him up.  
'Let's get you settled in for a few boring days.' Wilson added, joining with Newkirk to carry Hunter back to his barracks.

Getting comfortable on his bunk, Hunter propped his ankle up on two wadded up greatcoats and leant back against the wall as Newkirk put what he'd need in easy reach.  
'Colonel 'ogan can 'elp me as needed Peter, you just worry about that new Sergeant. Pray the forest sniper gets 'im, that'll solve our problems this time.'  
'Alright 'unter. Stay out of trouble.' Peter nodded, doing one last check of the stuff he'd put near Andrew before leaving the barracks and rejoining the group outside.  
'I'm more worried about you mate.' Andrew uttered, picking up the book he'd been reading and flicking it open.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Looking up when his mates filed slowly into the barracks again, Andrew shuffled over a little and reached out to help Peter back onto his bunk, distressed by the pained look on his face.  
'How'd it go?'  
'That kraut never heard of walking.'  
'He had you running all day?  
'Oh, no, we stopped to rest and pull weeds. I'll never play the violin again.'  
'You don't play the violin.'  
'I know, but he doesn't know that.'  
'Everything is regulations, according to the book.'  
'We've gotta clear out that tunnel, but you guys aren't in any shape to work.'  
'I'm starting to regret my choice to ditch the brace. I feel terrible.' Hunter sighed, reaching out to take Newkirk's hand where it was hanging off his bunk. Turning it over, he looked at the network of fresh cuts and scratches covering his skin and frowned, guilt piling up.  
'It's not your fault Hunter. Your ankle let you down again.' Hogan sighed, looking around the group in disbelief.

Looking up again when Schultz entered the barracks, Hunter flinched when the door slammed but thankfully no one was awoken by the loud noise.  
''Ey Schultz, keep it down will you? The guys are exhausted.' he hissed, listening for any signs of waking from above but Newkirk was too far gone to even care about a slamming door.  
'Ohh, sorry Andrew. How is the ankle feeling?'  
'Sore as 'ell but not as bad as everyone else obviously.'  
'What is the rush? What? What?' Schultz groaned, taking a seat at the table.  
'Why do you let him do it, Schultz? Why do you let him push you around?'  
'There must be some regulation that lets him do it. He knows them all.'  
'But you're both Sergeants. He can't order you around. You're the same rank.'  
'That's right?'  
'Who's he think he is?'  
'Yeah. Who does he think he is?'  
'Tell him off, Schultz.'  
'I will. Nobody pushed Sergeant Schultz around, nobody. Who does he think he is?'  
'Schultz, quiet. You'll wake the guys and then they'll be angry at you.' Hunter warned, nudging him with his good foot.  
'I don't want them to be angry with me Hunter.' Schultz replied, sitting down again.

The door swung open and in came Sergeant Franks, his eagle eyes scanning the barracks and not liking what he saw.  
'All right. Everybody on his feet. Up, up, up.'  
'Don't do that.'  
'Blimey, you're a lucky one 'unter.' Newkirk groaned, sitting up and wincing as his back protested.  
'It is forbidden to rest on the beds during the day. This will be reported.'  
'Well, if you insist.' Hunter groused, sitting up and moving to climb off his bunk.  
'Not you Corporal Hunter. Colonel Klink's orders are for you to stay put.'  
'Can't argue with the Kommandant.' Hunter shrugged, settling back and getting comfortable.  
'Do you have to report everything, Sergeant? Can't you overlook something once in a while?'  
'That would be against the regulations.'  
'Hm. Regulations.'  
'Sergeant Schultz, I am putting you on report. Fraternizing with the prisoners, uniform not in regulation order and taking an unauthorised break during duty hours.'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'Raus, raus, double-time, march. Ein, zwei. Ein, zwei. Ein, zwei.'  
'Hey Schultz. What happened?'  
'Next time, I tell him off.'

Closing the door, Hogan sat beside Hunter and sighed, not quite sure what to do about Franks but he knew he'd have to do it fast, before the guys were too worn out to do anything.  
'Any change the forest sniper will take a crack?'  
'With so many allies close to 'im, it's doubtful. We can 'ope but the risks are 'igh.'  
'See what you can come up with. I'll keep watch.'  
'Yes Colonel.'

Digging out the small radio set, Andrew dialled in the new frequency and worked his earpiece into place, just hoping the forest sniper could offer some kind of assistance.  
'Hunter to Knight, come in Knight.'  
"Go ahead Hunter, I read you."  
'We have need of your assistance, forest sniper.'  
"Ready for instructions."  
'There is a new Sergeant in camp. His presence is causing large disruptions for the organisation.'  
"I've seen him. Negative on assistance though, too dangerous beyond bolthole."  
'Bolthole location? We'll try to run interference.'  
"Bolthole Alpha. Exit too dangerous."  
'Acknowledged. Hunter out.'  
'Any good Hunter?' Hogan asked, keeping watch at the door in case Franks came back.  
'Negative Colonel, 'e's stuck in the emergency tunnel. It's not just inside the wire that's gotten a shake up, the patrols outside 'ave shaped up too. We've on our own this time.'  
'Okay, we need plan. I'm going to go talk to Klink, see what he says on the matter. See what you can come up with.'  
'Right-o Gov'nor.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Pushing down her pain, Emily stood and looked around at the men she called family. They'd returned from another hard session with Franks and collapsed on their bunks, the silence telling more than any complaining ever could. Limping badly on her mangled ankle, she did her rounds of the barracks carefully, tucking the men in and hoping they would be allowed to get some rest before the next visit from Franks. Rufus was in the worse situation by far, an earlier threat from Franks had him curled up on one bunk with only the one thin blanket like everyone else. Emily just tucked him in as best she could and left him to sleep. A programmed warning from her external security system had her back on her bunk, the job half finished but there was nothing that could be done.

Wandering into the barracks, Hogan looked around slowly and sighed, gazing at his sleeping men and trying to come up with a great plan to get rid of Franks but his mind was still blank.  
'You look like a bunch of old men.'  
'That's what we are. Old men.'  
'You should have seen us this morning. We were young men.'  
'One thing's for sure, we gotta figure some way to get rid of Franks. Got to figure some way to do it. It's either him or us. This can't go on, even if we have to…' falling quiet, Hogan turned and walked over to Kinch's bunk, pulling the thin blanket up over him gently. Then he tucked LeBeau in and stood watching them for a moment, the pressure of command piling up on his shoulders.

The door swung open again and in came everyone's favourite cruel and sadistic kraut, Franks. Nerves already frayed by a rough day, Rufus shot up at the first noise and smacked his head on the upper bunk. Groaning faintly, he slumped back and passed out.  
'All right, all right, everybody up. Up, up, up!'  
'Don't do that.'  
'Whoa, Rufus.' Hogan called, pushing through the group to reach the downed pilot.  
'Is 'e all right Colonel?' Newkirk asked, barely awake but he was trying.  
'Unconscious, knocked himself out again by the looks of things.'  
'I am here to inspect the barracks, Colonel.'  
'Go right ahead, I've got a man to take care of.' Hogan replied, muscling Rufus into a suitable recovery position until he regained consciousness after that nasty knock to the head. 'As you can see, they're still here.'  
'The bunks are 28 inches apart.'  
'How about that?'  
'Regulations say bunks must be 27 inches apart.'  
'We needed the space for dancing.'  
'Guards are not allowed to joke with prisoners of war. Article 15, Paragraph 6.'

Shifting his ankle away from the side of his bunk, Andrew resettled and looked up at Franks as he pulled on a white glove.  
'It's a formal inspection.' Carter remarked, astounded by this new treatment.  
'I don't believe it.' Andrew uttered, watching Franks run his hand along the bunk rails and window beading.  
'Ah-ha.'  
'I always use a black glove myself. That way, the dirt doesn't show. I know, Article 15.'  
'Dirty bunks and dirty walls. From now on, this barracks is on half rations and all recreational periods are cancelled for a month.'  
'Well, there go the polo matches.'  
'I want this barracks scrubbed down, every inch. Use a toothbrush in the corners. I want to be able to eat off the floor.'  
'I'm not too crazy about your eating habits, but if that's what you want.'

Mumbling something incoherent, Rufus stirred and lifted his head, looking around in confusion as he tried to remember what had happened this time. All he knew is that he had a massive headache and felt more than a little nauseous.  
'Quick! Someone get 'im a bucket. 'e's looking mighty green.' Hunter called, sending LeBeau scrambling for the nearest bucket. Grabbing one from outside, he threw it to Carter who in turn tossed it to Newkirk. Thinking fast, he lobbed it to Hogan who closed the gap and shoved it into Rufus' hands just as he heaved.  
'Just like ruddy clockwork 'e is. Every time 'e knocks 'imself out, first thing 'e does when 'e wakes up, throw up.' Newkirk sighed, sinking down at the table. 'Fast thinking 'unter. No one else was paying attention.'  
'There are some upsides to a really bad ankle. I'm at least functioning.' Hunter shrugged, smirking as Franks left in a hurry.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Rufus had no idea how he'd been dragged into such a predicament but he didn't think about that too much as he got stuck into the job at hand. Stretched out on the pile of dirt blocking the tunnel, his goal was the next solid bit of shoring and hopefully Bigelow. Digging his massive hands into the soft dirt, he heaved it back between his knees to the bagging team and pulled out broken bits of timber, tossing them off to the sides for evaluation and possible recycling.  
'Hey, I think I'm almost through.' he called, clearing away another section and revealing some solid shoring.  
'Bigelow?'  
'Yeah. Hi, you guys.'  
'You okay?'  
'Yeah, fine.'  
'All right. Everyone move aside. Rufus, get that dirt flying.'  
'You got it Colonel.' Rufus nodded, checking the coast was clear at his back before really starting to dig. Heaving great swipes of dirt back out of the way, he cleared out more of the doorway and kept going, working out the space needed to squeeze through to Bigelow.  
'I'm glad to see you.'

Swiping out a bit more dirt, he dropped to his stomach and squeezed through the gap, grateful for the help Bigelow gave to get him through the hole.  
'Alright Rufus, clear us some more space on that side. We're all coming through.'  
'You've got it Hogan. Stand back Bigelow, things are about to get messy in here.' Rufus nodded, moving the escapee out of the way before getting back into the digging. He didn't try for aimed flights of dirt this time; he just planted his feet, bent over and started tearing into the dirt pile. Head up and eyes focused on the gap, he sent up a shower of dirt to the rear, piling it up against the rear wall in a desperate scramble to get more hands to the digging front.  
'Who needs a shovel when you've got this guy around?' Bigelow remarked, watching the dirt fly out of the connecting door.  
'Rufus only comes into the tunnels for emergencies. His height is a disadvantage normally but for rapid excavation, he can't be beat.' Hogan replied, working with the team to clear more dirt from their side.  
'Thanks Colonel. I try my best.' Rufus grinned, switching to his double-handed digging style and flinging more dirt clear. 'That should do it. Come on guys, let's move.' he nodded, reaching through for the first hands to help.  
'Here, LeBeau, get in here. Come on fellows, let's go. Go.'  
'Craziest way to fight a war.' Aloysius muttered, worming through the gap and sliding between Rufus' legs.  
'Here, get my hand.' LeBeau called, reaching back to help pull Colonel Hogan through.  
'All right. The rest of them are coming through. Get busy Rufus, we're going to need every hand to the front.' Hogan directed, moving clear as Rufus reached into the hole again.  
'Welcome.' Bigelow greeted, standing back as Rufus swung Kinch into the cavern. 'It took you guys long enough. I was just starting to lose my taste for sardines.' he continued, moving back as Rufus changed his angle and dragged Newkirk through and sent him to check out the next leg of the dig.  
'A freak cave-in.'  
'Looks like everything went but the middle.'  
'Which is where I happened to be at the time.'  
'For once, being caught in the middle was okay.'  
'Hey, there's at least 40 feet before we get outside.'  
'That's another week's digging, even with Rufus' help to clear the dirt.'  
'We've got to get rid of the dirt.'  
'Yeah, I know. With that Sergeant sniffing around, it's gonna be tough. Get those sacks of dirt upstairs. Put them in the rafters.'  
'Colonel, I might not be much help with the digging after this one.' Rufus sighed, left hand pressing his right hand into his thigh.  
'Come on Rufus, we need you. What's the matter?'  
'I've done myself a bit of an injury, nasty one too.' Rufus sighed, lifting his left hand to reveal a big chunk of flesh missing from the palm of his hand. 'Happened when I was clearing this side of the gap.'  
'Okay, get changed and head back up to the barracks. Emily can patch you up. We'll find you a pair of gloves to wear to hide the dressing.' Hogan directed, helping Rufus back through the hole.  
'I've got a pair; I'll grab them on the way up.'

Bent double as he raced back to the barracks entrance, Rufus paused long enough to shed his tunnelling clothes and change into his uniform before wrapping his handkerchief around his bleeding hand, grabbing his gloves and scrambling up the ladder.  
'What's the situation below Rufus?' Emily asked, glancing out the door again.  
'We got Bigelow out but we won't be using the tunnel for a while. I'll take over watch; your medical skills are required.'  
'Who got hurt?' Emily sighed, hobbling over to grab her medkit.  
'I did. Cut my hand on a piece of broken timber. It's pretty bad.' Rufus replied, holding out his hand for Emily's inspection. Setting her medkit on her bunk, Emily unwound the cloth and gulped at the mess Rufus had made of his hand. A large section of skin and muscle was missing from the base of his palm but Emily was hopeful of a good recovery.  
'This isn't going to be pleasant Rufus, I'll warn you now.'  
'I can handle it Emily.'  
'Okay, first I need to wash out al this dirt and other muck. Hold this under your hand.' Emily directed, handing him a bowl from her medkit before digging out her saline wash.

Climbing up into the barracks, LeBeau kept his face turned away from Emily and Rufus as he made his way around to take up watch at the door. Nodding gratefully, Emily gathered up her medkit and hurried into Hogan's office, force of will keeping her moving on her aching ankle. Sitting Rufus down on the bottom bunk, she got back to work rinsing and disinfecting his hand before shooting him up with local anaesthetic.  
'You sure know how to do yourself a good injury Rufus.' she remarked, lifting out a small metal tin and opening it carefully. Taking up a pair of tweezers, she removed a wad of something from the tin and packed it into the wound then went back for another piece.  
'What is that stuff?'  
'It's a specialised, dosed gauze. With such a large chunk of flesh missing, I can't safely suture this closed without causing problems with your hand. This gauze is specially made for situations like this and will promote your body to heal over it. As your body heals around and through the gauze, it will start to dissolve. Eventually you'll be left with a minor scar and no serious problems.' Emily explained, suturing the ragged edges of the gash to the gauze.  
'Where'd you get something like that?'  
'A friend made it for me; I've been waiting for a chance to use it.'  
'You've never used this stuff before?'  
'On myself, plenty of times. On another person, never.'

Tying off the last suture neatly, Emily reached into her medkit again and selected a dressing that would do the job nicely. Smoothing it over the wound gently but firmly, she wrapped a few turns of a light gauze bandage over that to keep the pressure on it.  
'There we go, that should do nicely. Keep it clean and I'll check it again in a couple of days. No digging until you've gotten my clearance, okay? We do not want this getting infected.'  
'You've got it Emily.' Rufus nodded, letting Emily help him with his gloves before they filed back into the main room.

Their timing was spot on, Emily was just putting her medkit away when a whistle started blowing outside, a signal they'd all come to know and dread.  
'Reveille? It isn't time yet.'  
'Two hours earlier for punishment, remember?'  
'What'll we do now?'  
'We'd better fall out. Franks inspected the barracks yesterday.'  
'Does that mean he won't come in?'  
'If we're not out there in 10 seconds, he will.'  
''Ere Newkirk, give a mate a 'and will you?' Andrew asked, slinging one arm around Newkirk's shoulders and hopping outside. 'Cor, talk about injustice.'  
'Never mind 'unter, we'll be back in our warm barracks soon.' Newkirk replied, wondering if Franks would give them a telling off about the new arrangement.  
'Good. Feels like me toes are going to fall off.' Hunter sighed, grateful for Newkirk's support as he rested his left foot on his right.  
'Everyone stay calm. We have to hope Franks won't go into the barracks.' Hogan uttered, glancing at Hunter.  
'All present and accounted for. Colonel Klink. Colonel Klink.'  
'What's the matter?'  
'The men are all present and accounted for.'  
'Did you have to wake me up just to tell me that? Oh, very good, very good.'  
'I wish to report the inspector general will be here this morning for an unscheduled inspection.'  
'The inspector general? Why so soon?'  
'I assured the Colonel that we will get a top rating. Colonel Hogan, you will see that your men are ready.'  
'My men are ready at all times for anything.'  
'I will inspect your barracks now.'  
'Why bother? Place was cleaned just yesterday.'  
'The dirt, it's all over the place.' Newkirk uttered, glancing at Hunter.  
'I will make sure.'  
'You act like you don't trust us.'  
'The Colonel is right. I do not.'

Hustling back to form a barricade across the door, Rufus planted himself right in front of the door and glanced at Hogan for backup.  
'I wanna go on record as protesting this breech of faith. Now, give us a few minutes to tidy up the place.' Hogan tried but his attempt failed and Franks pushed his way into the barracks. Wobbling dangerously, Hunter went down hard, landing on his bruised ankle. Crying out in pain, he shifted off his ankle and cradled it in both hands, his composure close to cracking.  
''Ey, 'ow about a little 'elp guys. 'Unter's done 'is ankle again.' Newkirk called, staying with his friend and trying to calm him.  
'Easy now Hunter, I've got you.' Rufus soothed, emerging from the barracks and crouching beside his companions. Carefully lifting him in his powerful arms, Rufus stood and ducked into the barracks.  
'Clear a path. Come on, move out of the way.' Newkirk called, nudging Carter out of the way.  
'Well Sergeant, I hope you're satisfied.'  
'Make sure it stays this way.'  
'Down you go Hunter, you're okay now.' Rufus soothed, settling Hunter down on his bunk and supporting his ankle until Newkirk could bundle up the greatcoats for a pillow again.  
'Thanks Rufus. You're a great friend.' Andrew uttered, sagging back gratefully and trying to relax.  
'I understand you are a tailor.' Franks continued, ignoring the situation at Hunter's bunk as he looked at LeBeau.  
'Sometimes.'  
'Schultz.'  
'Yes, Sir? Yes?'  
'Press my uniform.' he ordered, throwing the uniform to LeBeau. 'I want it back in time for the inspection.'  
'Is this soon enough?' LeBeau asked, dropping the uniform to the floor.  
'I can have you shot for this.'  
'All right, easy, Sergeant. LeBeau, I'm surprised at you. You're not being friendly with our guest. It'll be done Sergeant.'  
'Very good, Colonel. You are sensible.'  
'What else could we do? We're just prisoners and you're the master race.'

The moment Franks and Schultz were gone, the group raced for the emergency tunnel and signalled it open. Sitting up and shuffling along his bunk, Andrew got into a good spot to watch, mainly by prodding Kinch until he moved. Climbing up the ladder, Aloysius hopped the railings and walked over to see the work Emily had done to Rufus' hand.  
'Thanks for cleaning up Bigelow, but what'd you do with the dirt?'  
'We threw it back down in the hole.'  
'Good thinking.'  
'Hey, that's great Bigelow.'  
'Now I can't take all the credit. Aloysius gave me a hand.'  
'Couldn't let Rufus get into trouble, he's my best friend.' Aloysius shrugged, inspecting neat dressing. 'Thanks for patching him up Hunter.'  
'I do what I can to 'elp out.' Andrew replied, settling back comfortably.  
'We're getting you out of here today.'  
'Today? We won't have the tunnel clear. You said yourself it would take a week. Longer with Rufus out of the team.'  
'I know. He's going out through the front gate.'  
'Front gate?'  
'How?'  
'I don't quite know how yet, but it involves Sergeant Franks.'  
'Well, I'll tell you one thing, I'm not pressing his uniform unless he's in it.'  
'Take it easy. Yes, you are. But you'll do a better job than he expects. Carter, you still got some of that invisible ink that you made up for sending messages?'  
'Sure, why?'  
'At what temperature does the ink begin to show?'  
'Ninety degrees.'  
'And body temperature is 98.6. That's perfect.'  
'What's going on Colonel?'  
'Same time we get rid of you, we're gonna get rid of Sergeant Franks.'  
'Killing two birds with one stone, eh?'  
'Let's just say we're killing one bird and the other's flying the coop.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

With the knockout plan in motion, Hunter draped his arms around Newkirk's shoulders and hopped up onto his back as Franks' whistle started screaming out for them.  
'Fall out, fall out, fall out. Make it snappy. Get into formation. Get into formation.'  
'Let's do this Peter.' Andrew uttered, ducking his head as Peter ambled outside with LeBeau's beret perched on his head. They definitely got attention as they wandered out, uniforms mixed up and no one in any hurry.  
'Sergeant Franks, this is shocking.' Klink bellowed, watching as the men reorganised their uniforms.  
'Prisoner detail all assembled and correct, Sir.' Hogan called, snapping off a salute. Franks returned the salute but when he lowered his arm, his right sleeve fell off completely.  
'Bravo, bravo!'  
'Now pick up your sleeve.'

Squeezing Peter with his knees as a reminder not to drop him, Andrew joined in with the laughter and cheering, enjoying the show Franks was putting on.  
'Silence!' Franks barked, stepping forward and stomping his left foot, causing the pant leg to fail.  
'Show a leg there!'  
'No strip tease, please!' Andrew pleaded, gripping Peter's shoulders again.  
'Detail awaiting instructions, Sir.' Hogan called, trying not to smirk as Franks went to pull up his pants leg and lost his other sleeve.  
'On, my goodness. You're coming apart at the seams, mate.'  
'That's definitely against regulation.' Rufus added, roaring with laughter.  
'As I said, awaiting instructions, Sir.' Hogan tried again, enjoying the humiliation of Franks.  
'Sergeant Franks, what is happening here?' Klink asked, deeply disturbed by what he was witnessing. Turning back to his officers, Franks' could say nothing in his defence as the last seams holding up the remnants of his pants failed and left him standing around with his long underwear on show.

Roaring with laughter, Andrew had to lean on Hogan's shoulder so he didn't fall but he wasn't ready to hop down from Newkirk's shoulders just yet. Bending to pick up his pants, Franks got into even bigger trouble as his tunic gave way to display the prominently painted V for Victory symbol on his chest. Sitting up a little and grinning when Rufus stepped up to support him, Andrew pulled off a pretty good visual Churchill impression as several of his friends flashed the same signal.  
'I do not know anything about this.'  
'This is treason. Turn this man over to the Gestapo.'  
'But I am innocent.'  
'That's what they all say.' Hogan countered, looking up at Hunter.  
'You're right, mate. The old story every time.' Newkirk agreed, adjusting his grip on Hunter so he didn't fall.  
'Schultz, hold this man till the Gestapo picks him up.'  
'With pleasure.'  
'But I did not do anything wrong.'  
'Yes, you did. You broke the regulations. Article 2, Paragraph 9. You're out of uniform.' Hunter countered, earning another roar of laughter from his fellow prisoners.  
'I just have one question for you Corporal Hunter.' Klink offered, moving closer to the group. 'What are you doing up there?'  
'Well, Sir, I'm under medical orders to stay off me foot but I 'ad to turn out for reveille this morning. In 'is 'urry to get into our barracks, Sergeant Franks knocked me over and I twisted it again. I was again told to stay off me ankle. I 'ad to be 'ere for formation but I didn't want to disobey medical orders. Corporal Newkirk was kind enough to offer me a lift.' Hunter explained, leaning over Peter's shoulders again. 'Shall I get down and risk another fall Sir?'  
'No, I understand. Go back inside and rest your ankle.'  
'Yes Sir.' Peter replied, turning and heading back into the barracks.

Slipping down off Peter's back and using the upper bunk for support, Andrew touched down lightly on his own bunk and propped his ankle up carefully.  
'I didn't 'urt your back, did I mate?'  
'Don't worry mate, its fine. Anything to 'elp out me best friend.'  
'Get some rest Peter, you're earned it and you'll need too. There's still a tunnel to clear and Rufus is going to be out of action for a while.'  
'Sounds like a plan.' Peter nodded, climbing up onto his bunk and stretching out.


	17. Christmas Joy

Tiptoeing quietly around their barracks, Emily carefully delivered the presents she'd been guarding for quite some time. Without a Christmas tree to put them under, she took each gift and tucked it in the arms of the recipient, wanting to make their Christmas as special as she could. Turning when the bunk entrance opened quietly, she smiled as Aloysius handed her another assortment of presents and climbed out to deliver them.  
'Everything ready for the goose?' she asked, reaching up to slip Peter's gift into his hand.  
'It's plucked, gutted and ready for the oven.' Aloysius whispered, working his own gift for Newkirk in beside Emily's.  
'The oven pit is done, I dug it yesterday. When you head back down, light it up and put the cover over it. It'll need to heat for a couple hours before you put the bird in.'  
'I've got it covered Emily. We went over the plan yesterday, don't worry.'  
'I just want today to go off without a hitch. Schultz will smell us out but I'm not worried about that. He's easy enough to bribe.'  
'What about Klink?'  
'With that snowstorm outside, he won't come out. I've got the security cameras set up; you'll be safe to come up for Christmas lunch as well. I'll have an extra place set for you.'  
'Thanks Emily. I'd like that.' Aloysius nodded, pulling another present out of his bag. 'What's Hogan like when it comes to sleeping?'  
'Fairly light. We'll have to be careful.' Emily replied, picking up her gift for Hogan and creeping across to the office door. Opening it slowly, she crept inside and put her present on the table, motioning for Aloysius to do the same before they slipped out just as quietly and left him to sleep.  
  
Positioning the last of the presents, Emily climbed back into bed and snuggled down, finally allowing her body the rest it needed. Waiting until he was sure Emily was out; Aloysius tucked her present in her arms and left the barracks on silent feet. Hurrying back down the tunnels, he entered one of the offshoot caverns and walked over to the firepit Emily had carefully dug the previous day. Crouching down, he fished out his lighter and reached into the pit, setting the old newspaper alight and watching it for a moment. Satisfied it was burning well, he fed in a few more small twigs and pulled the vented cover over the top before heading to get the goose so he could finish the preparation.  
  
~!~#~&^&~#~!~  
  
Always awake before the others, Emily smiled at the present Aloysius had left her and tucked it back under her blanket as she refilled the coffee pot and put it on to heat. Gathering up the mugs from every corner of the barracks, she lined them up and put the smaller kettle on to heat for a nice drop of tea for those who didn't want coffee. As she worked, she hummed Christmas carols and tried for a festive atmosphere but there wasn't much to be scraped together. Getting a sudden idea, she went back to her kit and rummaged through before finding something she'd once worn as part of a costume to get close to a target. Smoothing out the lengths of ribbon, Emily gently tied them around her wrists and ankles, sending up a soft song with every movement. It wasn't much but the sleigh bells were ringing to bring the men into a wonderful Christmas and that was good enough.  
  
Moving gracefully around the barracks, Emily knew she probably looked weird but she couldn't find the urge to care as her family started to wake and find their presents tucked close. Bustling around the stove, Emily listened to her men as they sat up and looked at their presents but no one opened them yet, waiting for something before they did. Aware that all eyes were on her, Emily quickly set the table and poured the coffee, the very picture of a loving mother bustling around the kitchen.  
'Breakfast time boys. Come on now, before it gets cold.' she called, touching LeBeau's cheek lightly as she swept past him to pick up the pot on the stove.  
'Smells like 'ome when I was little.' Peter remarked, jumping down and taking a seat at the table.  
'Real oatmeal? Smells good Emily.' Rufus added, pulling on his dressing gown as he headed to the table.  
'Come on guys, I'm trying here. I wanted to make this Christmas special, now come and join the family.' Emily sighed, drifting around the neatly set table.  
  
Swinging from their bunks, the men converged on the table and settled quickly, looking forward to a real Christmas, or at least as real as the could have. Serving up the meals, Emily glanced back over her shoulder and sighed, wondering if they should start.  
'Everyone wait, I'll just wake our last guest.' she grinned, setting the pot down and heading for Hogan's room. Knocking once, she swung the door open and padded over to shake Hogan, the bells on her wrist jingling merrily. 'Robert. Wake up Robert.'  
'Hmmm? What's going on?' he groaned, lifting his head slowly. 'Emily? What'd you call me then?'  
'Time to get up Robert. Everyone's waiting for you at the table. Don't worry about getting dressed; it's just an informal breakfast.' Emily grinned, turning and leaving the room. 'He'll be right out, just be patient my dears.'  
'Come on Colonel, we're hungry.' LeBeau called, eyeing the pots of honey, jam and marmalade on the table.  
'Alright, alright, I'm…wow.' Hogan paused and stared at the table in wonder, taking in the homely scene.  
  
Smiling wide, he joined the group at the table and nodded, astounded by what Emily had pulled out of the hat for them this cold and lonely Christmas day.  
'Robert, would you say grace for us?' Emily asked, catching him off guard again.  
'I would be honoured.' he nodded, reaching out to take Carter and Rufus by the hand. Taking their signal from him, the group all joined hands and bowed their heads, united as one. 'For what we are about to receive, Lord we are truly thankful. Relieve the wants of others, in Christ's name, amen.'  
'amen.' the group chorused before tucking into the warming oatmeal, passing the prized jars back and forth happily. Removing her bells quickly, Emily tossed them into her open footlocker and grinned as Peter turned and knocked it closed before going back to his meal.  
  
Laughing and joking like a true family, no one looked up when Schultz walked in and stared at the group, wondering if he was finally losing his mind.  
'Colonel Hogan, please. What is going on here?'  
'Oh, hey Schultz. We're just having a little Christmas celebration; we've been scrounging and saving food for months in preparation.' Hogan lied smoothly, glancing down the table and getting the signal that Andrew was back at the front. 'Would you care to join us?'  
'Make some room lads, make some room. 'Ere, I'll 'ang up your coat.' Andrew offered, getting up and walking over to take Schultz's heavy coat and hang it up neatly, along with his helmet.  
'Danke, this is very kind of you.' Schultz nodded, joining the group at the table.  
'It's Christmas, a time of goodwill to all. What we 'ave is 'umble but we will share with you.' Andrew replied, setting a plate and mug before Schultz and returning to his place.  
'This does not seem like your cooking LeBeau.'  
'It's not Schultzie. André gave me the morning off.' LeBeau replied, looking along the table to Hunter.  
'You always work so 'ard to keep us fed Louis. I wanted to let you 'ave some time to relax.'  
'And I am grateful, mon ami. Merci.'  
'You're welcome Louis.'  
  
~!~#~&^&~#~!~  
  
Rugging up against the cold, the men filed outside for morning roll call and shivered as Schultz made his count and waited for Klink to emerge. Finally appearing, Klink called for the report when Rufus stepped forward, a neatly wrapped present in his hands.  
'Kommandant, just before you disappear inside again, I've got something for you.' he called, stopping the older man in his tracks.  
'Something for me?'  
'Yes, Sir. It's from all of us, merry Christmas.' Rufus nodded, holding out the small gift.  
'That's very kind of you Rufus, thank you and Frohe Weihnachten.' Klink replied, accepting the small gift and staring at it for a moment before pulling the paper away and gazing at the black leather wallet inside. What really caught his eye was the design on the front, a grand German eagle, embossed into the surface. 'This is marvellous, simply marvellous. Thank you all.'  
'You're welcome Kommandant.' Hogan grinned, glancing at Hunter, the true craftsman of the gift.  
'Dismissed!'  
  
Filing back inside, the men moved the table out of the way and collected their scattered Christmas presents before settling on the floor in the middle of the barracks, the newspapers they'd used to wrap their gifts brightened up in whatever ways they could think of. Some had been coloured with paint and pencils, others had used folded paper to make bows and other things to beautify the simple gifts. Looking at the present Aloysius had left her; Emily tore the paper away and opened the handmade box inside. Chuckling softly, she lifted out the pilfered Luger and smirked, not really surprised by his choice. Dropping out the clip, she nodded and slapped it home before stashing it with her other weapons. All around her, the guys were tearing into the presents she'd left for them, eager to see what their guardian angel had come up with for each of them.  
'Cor, this is impressive Em. Thanks.' Peter grinned, slipping off his old watch and buckling the new one into place. It was much like the one she always wore, a proper combat watch that tracked the time, date, direction and a dozen other things but this one didn't have a poison capsule hidden away for emergencies.  
'Where did you ever get a French book?' LeBeau asked, flipping through the neatly bound pages.  
'I wrote it Louis, especially for you.' Emily replied, stunning everyone once again.  
'Merci Emily, I shall enjoy it. And a new recipe book too, ready for all my own recipes.'  
'This is fantastic Emily, thanks. Getting parts isn't easy.' Kinch beamed; a box of spare radio parts and tools propped on his lap.  
'I don't think I understand what this is Emily.' Carter mused, flipping through his book of formulae, recipes and lists.  
'This, Carter, is a very special gift. Inside these pages are all the tricks, knowledge and combinations you could ever need to master explosives for every job. I shouldn't be giving you some of these combinations but I believe you will not share this knowledge with anyone. Not even those sitting in this circle. This is our secret.' Emily explained, reaching over to close the book.  
'Now I understand Emily. Thanks.' Carter nodded, tucking the book under his foot so no one else could go poking inside.  
'This smells good Emily; I'll be irresistible to the ladies now.' Hogan remarked, screwing the lid back on the aftershave she'd given him.  
'Maybe you will, maybe you won't. That stuff ain't from around here; it's the latest stuff in London, Paris and New York when I came from. Not sure how the ladies around here will handle it.'  
'Then I will be careful with it Emily.'  
  
Getting up from his place in the circle, Newkirk uttered something in Hogan's ear before heading into his office. Emerging a few moments later, he settled beside Emily and touched her cheek lightly to draw her attention.  
'I've been trying to be a good man but 'abits are 'ard to break and bad 'abits are the 'ardest. I don't 'ave much to give you luv but all I 'ave is yours. Even the bad side, the side I'm trying so 'ard to change. Last week, when I was in 'ammelburg, I…, I couldn't 'elp meself. I saw a perfect gift for you and well…' opening his hand, Peter revealed a beautiful gold ring set with a stunning heart-cut emerald.  
'Peter, this…'  
'I can take it back if you don't want it. I'm sure I can find that woman again.' he offered, worried Emily would hate him for his crime.  
'Peter, shut up and let me finish.'  
'Right, sorry luv.'  
'This is a truly beautiful ring Peter; I have not seen anything to match this quality for a long time. While I can't say I approve of your thieving ways, I have no problems with you pinching expensive trinkets from the krauts.' Emily grinned, placing her right hand in his lovingly. 'Just promise you'll try harder to resist temptation next time.'  
'I will Emily, I promise. But shouldn't this go on your other 'and?'  
'Is this a proposal?'  
'What? Blimey, that's moving a bit fast Emily. I wasn't even thinking of that.'  
'Then you've got the correct hand. A ring on the left hand symbolises commitment to a relationship. A ring on the right hand declares success and independence.' Emily explained, smiling softly as Peter slid the ring on her finger. 'A perfect fit Peter, well chosen.'  
'The moment I spotted it, I knew it would be perfect for you Emily.'  
  
Admiring the glittering stone on her finger, Emily didn't want to take it off but she knew the risks of being found with such a hot piece of property. But she had the perfect place to hide it until the time was right for her wear it with pride.  
'As much as I love this ring Peter, it's just not safe to wear. However, I have the safest place in the world to keep it.' she grinned, getting up and opening the secret entrance.  
'The safest place in the world is in the tunnel?'  
'In a way.' Emily winked, climbing into the tunnel and whistling. Bounding down the tunnel, her dogs sat quietly at her feet, awaiting instructions. 'Romus, I want you to guard something for me. Now focus, no one else can have this.' she instructed, removing the ring and holding it up so they could see it. Tipping his head back, Emily tied the ring firmly to his collar, letting it hang safe and secure from his black leather collar.  
'Now I get what you meant by the safest place in the world. Anyone tries for that and e'll attack, right?' Peter nodded, watching from the top as Emily coaxed Romus onto his back legs and held him there so Peter could see.  
'Now you're getting it Peter. The only person who can safely grab that ring now, is me. It couldn't be any safer.'  
'But what about me getting to it, if I do finally decide to propose?'  
'You'll just have to find another ring. I have no doubt you'll find an even better one. This one counts as a one year anniversary gift.'  
'Sounds good to me luv. Now come on back up 'ere, there's still a lot of Christmas to enjoy.'  
'Be right up.' Emily nodded, sending her dogs away and getting a signal from Aloysius regarding lunch before heading topside.  
  
~!~#~&^&~#~!~  
  
Standing in formation that night, Peter waited for calm in the conversation between Klink and Schultz before stepping forward. Removing his cap, he straightened up and started to sing, bringing his own Christmas magic to the day.

 _I saw three ships come sailing by_  
 _On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day._  
 _I saw three ships come sailing by_  
 _On Christmas Day in the morning._

Falling quiet, everyone listened to him sing, a lone voice ringing out over the still camp and coaxing peace to war-weary airmen from both sides. No one dared break the spell, listening intently to one flickering hope of Christmas joy.

 _And what was in those ships all three_  
 _On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?_  
 _And what was in those ships all three_  
 _On Christmas Day in the morning?_

Confidence growing, Peter lifted his voice to the heavens and sang proudly, wanting to do his part to bring some kind of Christmas spirit to this cold and dark corner of Germany. He wasn't worried about entertaining the krauts but when he saw the smiles on the faces of his fellow prisoners, he knew he was doing the right thing.

 _The Virgin Mary and Christ were there_  
 _On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day._  
 _The Virgin Mary and Christ were there_  
 _On Christmas Day in the morning._

Tune slipping away, Peter donned his cap and stepped back into formation, everyone who heard still captivated by the spirit summoned from such a simple carol.  
'That was most unexpected Corporal Newkirk.'  
'It's been a pretty poor Christmas so far Kommandant, I wanted to try and make something of the day.'  
'Is there anyone else here who wants to sing a Christmas Carol?' Hogan asked, looking around at his men.  
'Do we have to remain standing in formation or can we make this like a real carolling group?' Rufus asked, smiling softly at his friends.  
'Well Kommandant?'  
'I do not see why we cannot share a few carols. Very well Colonel Hogan, organise your men.'  
'You heard the Kommandant, gather up.'  
  
Reshuffling the lines, the group huddled together beside the barracks and quietly discussed which carol they should sing first. Eventually they came to a decision, making Klink believe none of this had been organised earlier. Moving forward from the group, Hunter, LeBeau and Kinch spread out and nodded, signalling the chorus behind them.

 _We three kings of Orient are_  
 _Bearing gifts we traverse afar._  
 _Field and fountain, moor and mountain,_  
 _Following yonder star._  
  
 _O star of wonder, star of night,_  
 _Star with royal beauty bright,_  
 _Westward leading, still proceeding,_  
 _Guide us to thy perfect Light._

Voice soaring to fill the gap as the chorus quietened, Hunter held a simple paper crown in his hands, the old newsprint disguised by some gold paint Rufus had found in one of the tunnel storerooms. Raising the crown high, he enjoyed the chance to share the Christmas spirit with everyone who could see and hear them.

 _Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,_  
 _Gold I bring to crown Him again,_  
 _King forever, ceasing never_  
 _Over us all to reign._  
  
 _O star of wonder, star of night,_  
 _Star with royal beauty bright,_  
 _Westward leading, still proceeding,_  
 _Guide us to thy perfect Light._

Picking up the song, LeBeau held up a small box, painted up to look very expensive but it really was nothing more than old newspapers and paint. It was actually the paint holding the box together, but the effect was stunning.

 _Frankincense to offer have I._  
 _Incense owns a Deity nigh._  
 _Prayer and praising all men raising,_  
 _Worship Him, God on high._  
  
 _O star of wonder, star of night,_  
 _Star with royal beauty bright,_  
 _Westward leading, still proceeding,_  
 _Guide us to thy perfect Light._

Deeper voice a good counterbalance to Hunter and LeBeau, Kinch took up the song and lifted it to a new height, an ornate looking bottle cradled in his hands. As he lifted his face to the sky, soft snow started falling gently to earth. Nobody minded the snow, they were all too caught up in the magic of Christmas away from the fighting and bloodshed.

 _Myrrh is mine: Its bitter perfume_  
 _Breaths a life of gathering gloom._  
 _Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,_  
 _Sealed in the stone-cold tomb._  
  
 _O star of wonder, star of night,_  
 _Star with royal beauty bright,_  
 _Westward leading, still proceeding,_  
 _Guide us to thy perfect Light._  
  
 _Glorious now behold Him arise,_  
 _King and God and Sacrifice._  
 _Alleluia, alleluia!_  
 _Sounds through the earth and skies._  
  
 _O star of wonder, star of night,_  
 _Star with royal beauty bright,_  
 _Westward leading, still proceeding,_  
 _Guide us to thy perfect Light._

Letting the song slip quietly into the night, the group waited to see if Klink would let them have one more or if he'd send them back into their barracks before anyone got too cold. Klink didn't seem interested in destroying the moment so Carter moved forward, Hogan coming to his side with a small drum. Starting the beat, Hogan smiled peacefully and signalled Carter in.

 _Come they told me, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _A new born King to see, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _To lay before the King, pa rum pum -pum pum,_  
 _rum pum-pum pum, rum pum-pum pum,_  
  
 _So to honour Him, pa rum pum-pum pum,_  
 _When we come._  
  
 _Little Baby, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum-pum pum,_  
 _rum pum-pum pum, rum pum-pum pum,_  
  
 _Shall I play for you, pa rum pum-pum pum,_  
 _On my drum?_  
  
 _Mary nodded, pa rum pum -pum pum_  
 _The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _I played my best for Him, pa rum pum-pum pum,_  
 _rum pum-pum pum, rum pum-pum pum,_  
  
 _Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum-pum pum_  
 _Me and my drum._

Soaking up the applause from the gathered crowd around them, Hogan and Carter bowed and blended back into the group as Hunter and Newkirk moved up again, standing shoulder to shoulder proudly.  
'Kommandant, we 'ave been working on a very special offering for tonight. With your permission.' Hunter tried, hoping they could pull this one off and send Christmas out with a wonderful moment.  
'What sort of a special offering?' Klink asked, instantly suspicious of their intentions.  
'Well Sir, 'unter 'ere 'as quite the talent for languages. Making use of that talent, we would like to do a song of camaraderie between the German and English languages.' Newkirk replied, really hoping their effort was going to be appreciated.  
'By all means, go right ahead.'  
'Thank you Sir.' they replied, relaxed and calm as they started to sing.

_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_wie treu sind deine Blätter! / How loyal are your leaves!_   
_Du grünst nicht nur / You're green not only_   
_zur Sommerzeit, /  in the summertime,_   
_Nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit. / No, also in winter when it snows._   
_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_wie treu sind deine Blätter! / How loyal are your leaves!_   
  
_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_Du kannst mir sehr gefallen! / You can please me very much!_   
_Wie oft hat nicht zur Weihnachtszeit / How often has not at Christmastime_   
_Ein Baum von dir mich hoch erfreut! / A tree like you given me such joy!_   
_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_Du kannst mir sehr gefallen! / You can please me very much!_   
  
_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_Dein Kleid will mich / Your dress wants to_   
_was lehren: /  teach me something:_   
_Die Hoffnung und Beständigkeit / Your hope and durability_   
_Gibt Trost und Kraft / Provide comfort and strength_   
_zu jeder Zeit. /  at any time._   
_O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum! / O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree_   
_Das soll dein Kleid / That's what your dress should_   
_mich lehren. / teach me._

As the two Englanders finished their duet, everyone saw something they had never expected to see. As Klink stood there, a lone tear rolled down his face unchecked, a nerve touched somewhere in his heart. Then he stepped forward and shook them both by the hand, touched by their gentle duet in a way that he couldn't explain.  
'Merry Christmas Colonel Klink.' Hunter grinned, gently squeezing Klink's shoulder.  
'Fröhliche Weihnachten to all of you.'  
'Joyeux Noël Kommandant.' LeBeau nodded, huddling closer to Rufus to get out of the cold wind. 'And to you as well Schultz.'  
'Fröhliche Weihnachten to all.' Schultz replied, wiping his eyes quickly.  
'Good night Kommandant, sleep well.' Hogan added, ushering his men inside out of the cold.  
'Good night. I wish you all the best dreams of home.' Klink replied, turning and heading for his office as Schultz wandered into the barracks and waited as everyone changed into their pyjamas and climbed into their bunks.  
'Good night everyone. Sleep in peace, tonight the angels above watch us all.' he uttered, turning out the lights and leaving the men to their innocent dreams of loved ones.


	18. One In Every Crowd

Wary of the newest member of the barracks, Andrew and Rufus kept a sharp eye on him as he played a few hands of cards with some of the other guys.  
'I've never had such bad cards.'  
'Let's try a little Five-card stud. Everybody ante a dollar.'  
'All right.'  
'Pass right. Are you in, Newkirk?'  
'No, I'm not yet.' Newkirk replied, watching the new arrival with a trained eye as he threw a dollar into the pot.  
'Pass right. Ten, eight, three, a Jack and a big King for me. How about that, huh? I'm high. I bet two dollars.'  
'You're 'igh alright, Williams. You stink.'  
'What's your problem, pal?'  
'Got your back Peter.' Andrew nodded, catching the signs that Newkirk was getting ready for a confrontation.  
'You're dealing from the bottom, that's the problem, mate.'  
'Hey, let go.'  
'E's got a King on the table, right, gentlemen? Well there's a King right on the bottom of this deck. Ready when he wants to palm it!' Newkirk challenged, flipping Williams' hand over to reveal the King of spades.  
'Cheat.'  
'You twister.'  
'You're just ganging up on me because I'm winning.'  
'Yeah, well, I'm gonna sort you out.' Newkirk snarled, stretching out over the table and landing a very nice right cross into Williams' face.

Jumping out of the way, Rufus barely managed to avoid the pair as Newkirk shot right over the table and took Williams to the floor. Never one to stay out of a fight when his mates were involved, Andrew got into the thick of it as well, working with Newkirk to give Williams a proper lesson about living in Barracks 2.  
'Come on, Newkirk.'  
'Stop that, Hunter.'  
'Come on, knock it off.'  
'Stop it, you're way off.'  
'Wait a minute. Break it up. Break it up. Break it up.' Hogan called, dragging Williams up as Carter and Rufus worked on restraining Newkirk and Hunter and LeBeau got in the middle to keep them apart.  
'Come on, stop it.'  
'Isn't there enough war for you guys?'  
'Newkirk caught him dealing off the bottom.'  
'He's a liar.'  
'Knock it off! Knock it off! The game's over. Take back the money you started with.'  
'Are you kidding? I won it I keep it. You can't order me to give back my money.'  
'Look, Williams, I've had it right up to here with you. You've been thrown out of every barracks in camp.'  
'Can I help it if I'm popular?'  
'I also know you've been stealing our Red Cross packages and selling them to the krauts.'  
'Prove it, Sir.'  
'I will, at your court-martial. The game's over. Take back the money and give him his. Hunter, see to it that Williams does not interfere with my orders.' Hogan finished, turning back to Hunter.  
'Yes Colonel.' he replied, drawing his knife and jamming it under Williams' chin. 'Now, I suggest you stay real quiet and still. This knife is razor sharp, one false move and you'll be leaving here in a pine box.' he warned, the deadly tip pressing into naked flesh.  
'This won't take long 'unter, just 'old 'im steady.' Newkirk grinned, his perfect memory for money making it easy to sort out the false winnings and even pocket a few extra bills to give his mate later.  
'Make it snappy guys, Schultz and Klink incoming.' Rufus hissed, standing watch at the door.  
'We're all done.' Newkirk nodded, handing around the piles and moving back. Digging the knife in a little more in warning, Hunter put his knife away and leant against the wall beside Newkirk.  
'We might need to pull a little vanishing act later.' he uttered, trusting Newkirk to know what he meant.  
'I know just the place.' Newkirk replied, fully aware of what would need to be hidden and hidden well.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Keeping an eye on Carter as he had taken to always doing, Rufus frowned when Williams pulled him aside and sat beside him, acting all friendly and caring. Thinking for a moment, he ducked into the barracks and grabbed his baseball mitt and ball then picked up Carter's mitt and headed back outside.  
'Hey Andrew, you doing anything much?' he asked, leaning against the barracks wall.  
'Yeah, he's talking to me. Now shove off.'  
'Wasn't asking you Williams. I was asking my little mate Andrew.'  
'Well, I'm just talking to Williams but I'll be with you soon.'  
'Pity. I was going to teach you that pitch I was telling you about but if you're too busy I guess I'll just have to find someone else.' Rufus shrugged, pushing off the wall and wandering away.  
'Hey Rufus, wait a minute.' Andrew called, getting to his feet and running after his friend.  
'Thought you were talking to Williams.'  
'I was but I'd rather learn that pitch.'  
'Well all right then.' Rufus grinned, slinging one arm around Carter's shoulders and guiding him away.

Finding a decent spot to toss the ball, Rufus grinned and spun the well worn baseball in his fingers before handing it to Carter and jogging down the gap between the barracks.  
'I thought you were going to teach me a new pitch.'  
'I will Andrew, I promise. But first I thought we'd throw a few pitches to warm up.'  
'Oh, well that makes sense.' Andrew nodded, backing up and throwing the ball to Rufus.  
'And I wanted to get you away from Williams. He's up to no good and I don't want you getting tangled up in his scheme.'  
'All he wanted was my flashlight.'  
'I've been around Andrew. Trust me when I say you do not want to be hanging around that guy. Stick with the people you know you can rely on and you'll get through this war.'  
'You really think he's that bad Rufus?'  
'Andrew, you remind me a lot of my kid brother Jason. He fell in with the wrong crowd and was dragged down by them. I don't want to see you fall into a similar trap by trusting the wrong people. He died for his mistake, I won't let that happen to you.'  
'You really think Williams is that dangerous?'  
'There's no telling what he's planning. If he escapes and gets captured, he'll likely squeal on you for helping him escape. That'll put you in the cooler right along side him. I can't help you if you get into that position and that would make me sad.'  
'All right Rufus, I won't get involved. I wouldn't want you to be sad.'  
'Thanks Andrew. I'll still be keeping an eye on you, just to make sure Williams doesn't make another attempt to get you onside.'  
'Wouldn't I be safer to just stick close to you?'  
'Well sure, that'll work too. I'm not that hard to find, if you ever need me I'll be around.' Rufus grinned, jogging back to Carter's side and showing him the new pitching grip.

Watching discretely from his post outside the wire, Aloysius smiled and lowered his binoculars, so proud of Rufus as he opened up to another and had fun.  
'Knight to Hunter, come in Hunter.'  
"Reading you Knight. What's the situation?"  
'All clear, nothing problematic to report.'  
"Then why are you calling?"  
'Rufus just headed off a problem. Williams was getting friendly with Carter and Rufus jumped in to get Carter out of trouble. They're over between Barracks 7 and 8 playing ball.'  
"Good to know. That Williams is a real troublemaker. He started a fight in the barracks earlier."  
'Shall I take him out?'  
"Negative. I'll speak with Colonel Hogan regarding the situation. For now, observe and report."  
'Confirming orders: observe and report on Williams.'  
"Acknowledged confirmation."  
'As ordered Hunter. Knight out.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Listening to the bug they'd planted in the cooler some time ago, Andrew frowned and shook his head slowly, the news only getting worse the more Williams talked.  
"The Colonel wouldn't do a thing like that."  
"Oh, yeah? Well, I say he tipped off the krauts and he let me take this rap."  
"Well, you're wrong. He did everything he could out there. Schultz was there. What do you think?"  
"The potatoes need salt."  
"Next time I go out of this dump, it's gonna be right through the main gate with money in my pocket."  
"And the beans need salt too."  
"I got a deal cooking with the krauts."  
"They'll shoot you the minute you step out of camp."  
"Yeah, well, I'll take my chances."  
"Come on, you can't trust those guys. No offence Schultz."  
"I would rather shoot the cook."  
"Hey!"  
"Schultz."  
"Achtung!"  
"Nice little coffee klatch, huh?"  
"No, Herr Kommandant, I think it is tea. Herr Kommandant, I was testing the prisoner's food to be sure it is not dangerous. It is fine."  
"Very good, Sergeant. You, out."  
"Yes, Sir."

Everyone was on edge now, waiting to see what Williams was going to say and just how much trouble he was going to cause for the operation under the camp.  
"We might do a little business if you can convince me that your information is reliable."  
"A little sample, Colonel."  
"You might put it that way, yes?" there was a pause as if Williams was signalling something. "Yes, it's all right."  
"Okay. Remember about four weeks ago the railroad bridge at Heindorf blew up?"  
"Remember? The explosion threw me out of bed."  
"Shut up. The Gestapo is investigating. They suspect sabotage."  
"Oh, yeah? Well, good luck to them. It was done with a delayed fuse bomb on the north side. Does that ring a bell?"  
"Yes. What else do you know about it?"  
"No more free samples, Colonel. You know my terms."

Disconnecting the bug, Andrew sat back and stared at the receiver on the table in front of him. The risks of what Williams knew were dangerous to the entire operation but could be deadly to the three people who didn't actually belong in camp.  
''Unter? What's the matter, mate?' Newkirk asked, taking a seat and leaning close.  
'I know we've all got secrets but if Williams blows my story…it doesn't bear thinking about.'  
'Colonel, we've got to stop him.'  
'I know Newkirk, I'm working on it.' Hogan sighed, an idea forming in his mind. 'Carter, tell Kinch to get in touch with the underground. I wanna talk to one of their boys tonight. His code name is Felix.'  
'Right.'  
'LeBeau.'  
'Yes, Sir?'  
'I want you to meet him and guide in through the emergency tunnel.'  
'Right, Colonel.'  
'What's your plan Sir?'  
'Well, we've got to stop Williams but use him as a diversion so we can knock out that gun.'  
'With all due respect, Sir, you're dreaming.' Hunter scoffed, refusing to believe their problems would be over that easily.  
'If you've got a better dream, I wanna hear it.'  
'Sure I've got a plan but I can't say it'll get us that gun as well. All I know is that it will get rid of Williams.'  
'No dice Hunter, we have to get both missions done.'  
'Yes, Colonel.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Reading over the documents Hogan had gotten from Felix, Emily swore softly as she realised just how close she'd come to a firing squad. Williams had been onto her little deception and had given proof of a woman loose in the camp posing as a man. He'd identified her caches of supplies across the camp and even the knife at her back and her dogs.  
'Thank you Colonel. I had no idea Williams knew so much about my presence here.'  
'We're going to deal with him Emily, don't worry. This information will never get to the Gestapo.'  
'Colonel, I know you've got big plans for this evening but…'  
'Say no more Emily, I know what you want to ask. Go, you two have fun but I'll need you back here in three hours.'  
'Three hours, you've got it Colonel.' Emily nodded, heading down the ladder to the tunnels with Peter.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Refocused, settled and ready for action, Hunter and Newkirk shred a secret smile before turning their attention back to the jobs at hand.  
'There they go. The gun is not guarded, Colonel.'  
'Hunter, Newkirk, you handle the cooler. Remember, do it fast and clean and we need Williams' jacket.'  
'Right Colonel.' they nodded, racing out the door and heading for the cooler.

Ducking the searchlights and weaving through the buildings, they shot into the cooler and hustled down the stairs towards Williams' cell. Reaching under his jacket, Hunter pulled out a specialised explosive and uncoiled it from the spool. Pressing the breaching charge around the door, he slotted the detonator in and nodded, ready for action. Yanking the little window open, Newkirk glanced at Hunter and wished they could just throw a bomb into the room but orders were orders.  
'William, wake up! Colonel 'ogan wants to see you.'  
'What is this?'  
'Stand back, you bloody mug, unless you wanna get killed, not that I'd care.' Hunter growled, holding up the dummy charge. Once Williams was out of sight, Hunter activated the detonator and yanked Newkirk out of the way behind the next corner of the corridor and waited.

The shot was perfect, blowing the heavy steel door into the room and putting up quite an impressive dust cloud. Racing back towards the damaged cell, Hunter shot in first and grabbed Williams by the collar, throwing him bodily to the floor and jumping on top. Rushing to assist, Newkirk pinned his legs down as Hunter bound Williams firmly with a wire-cored rope.  
'Alright, we're done 'ere. Grab 'is jacket and let's get the 'ell out of 'ere.' Hunter nodded, hauling Williams up and dragging him out the door as Newkirk grabbed his jacket from the cot.

Moving quickly, they raced back to their barracks and shot inside, Williams helpless to resist the strength of the Brits dragging him along for the ride.  
'Welcome home, friend.'  
'Hogan, give me a break.'  
'You'll get what you deserve, a plane to fly you out of here as soon as the heat dies down. They're gonna try you in England and you'd better pray that none of those judges have never been POWs. Put him in the tunnel. And Hunter, order your dogs to guard him well.'  
'You've got it Colonel.' Hunter nodded, dragging Williams towards the tunnel.  
'Right. Ere's 'is jacket.' Newkirk added, shoving Williams along.  
'His name in it?'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'All right, good.'

Getting Williams into the tunnel, they led him to a small alcove and forced him down before Hunter whistled for the dogs. Bounding up and sitting at his side, they waited patiently for orders.  
'Guard the prisoner boys. Don't let him move. We'll come for him when it's time to send him to England. Understood?' Hunter instructed, indicating Williams with a flat hand. Barking once, the dogs took up positions on either side of the entrance, standing guard like professional soldiers.  
'Those two sure make things a lot easier down 'ere.' Newkirk remarked, slinging one arm around Hunter's shoulders.  
'Best guards in the world and they don't get bored of doing jobs like this. Williams will never get away from those two.' Hunter agreed, heading back up the ladder for some well deserved rest.


	19. Game Change

Pacing back and forth anxiously, Emily couldn't help but worry. Newkirk and Carter had gone out on a simple Intel mission but were now five hours overdue. Everyone was worried about them but there was nothing that anyone could do about the situation.  
"Knight to Hunter, come in Hunter."  
'Go ahead Knight, we read you.'  
"There's a truck approaching camp."  
'We've got bigger problems Knight. Carter and Newkirk have not returned from their mission.'  
"I know Hunter, they're in the truck. Looks like they've been roughed up a bit by the Gestapo. Orange light."  
'Say again.'  
"Newkirk and Carter are in the approaching truck. Orange light."  
'Message received Knight.'  
"Instructions?"  
'Do not interfere. Repeat: do not interfere.'  
"Acknowledged Hunter. ETA: five minutes."  
'Confirmed, five minutes. Hunter out.'

Abandoning the table, Emily could barely contain her nervous energy. She was even more worried now but there wasn't a damn thing she could do for either of them until their fate was known.  
'They'll be fine Emily. They're tough men, both of them. 30 days in the cooler and this mistake will be forgotten.' Hogan soothed, touching her shoulder lightly.  
'I'm not so sure about that Hogan. Aloysius and I have worked out a code for relaying details without saying anything much. Orange light is bad. We're not talking a few bruises and maybe a split lip here, we're talking about a lot worse. Possible broken bones, internal injuries, severe bruising and all that sort of thing.'  
'So if that's orange light, what's a red light?' Kinch asked, trying for a distraction.  
'I pray I never hear a red light call. Red light is very, very bad. If we ever get a red light call, I'll need the table cleared and my medkit ready for action in thirty seconds. Red light equals immediate surgery required to save a life.' Emily swallowed, truly terrified of ever hearing a red light warning.  
'So green light is minor injuries?' Rufus asked, familiar with traffic light codes.  
'No, green light is an all clear. Blue light is minor. And everybody pray we never, ever, in a million years, hear a black light warning.'  
'Black light…now that sounds really bad.' Kinch uttered, a chill running up his back at the mention of such a thing.  
'It's the next step up from red so you can guess what that means.'  
'A casualty code Emily? That's a bit morbid, don't you think?' Hogan uttered, shocked by the idea.  
'Just covering all the bases. You'd better get over to Klink's office, see what you can do.'  
'Are you crazy Emily? It's after lights out.'  
'Shh, Schultz is coming.' LeBeau hissed, closing the door and shooting for his bunk. Scrambling to their feet, the rest of the team slid into their bunks and settled, pretending to be asleep.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Called to assist with bringing their companions back into the barracks, the team filed outside in their sleepwear and tried not to show their fear and concern as they looked at Newkirk and Carter in the early morning light. They were both a mess, clothes torn in several places, blood splattered all over and Carter was cradling his left arm to his chest, in obvious pain. Newkirk was flaked out on the ground, right leg splinted and bandaged below the knee. Crouching beside Carter, Rufus gently gathered his young friend in his arms and stood, whispering soothing words when he cried out in pain. The rest of the team gathered around Newkirk, carefully lifting the stretcher he was on and heading for the barracks.  
'If this is an orange light, I pray we never have to deal with red.' Hogan uttered, devastated by what he was seeing.  
'Whatever 'appens Colonel, we'll 'andle it.' Hunter replied, deeply concerned for Newkirk but trying to hide it.  
'The Gestapo are getting worse, they've never gone this far before.'  
'They're getting desperate for information regarding all the sabotage going on around 'ere.'  
'But why take it out on Newkirk and Carter?' Kinch asked, entering the barracks with LeBeau and backing right up so they could get Newkirk inside.  
'They'll take it out on anyone they can catch out and about. We have to be more careful now.' Hunter sighed, trusting Kinch and Hogan to support the stretcher as he and LeBeau eased Newkirk onto a bunk. 'Shhh, easy now Pete. You're okay, we'll take care of you.' he soothed, trying to be as gentle as possible but it was still excruciating for Newkirk and he cried out before mercifully passing out.

Hooking out the emergency kit hidden under the bunks, Hunter stood and walked over to where Carter was still resting in Rufus' lap, supported in his powerful embrace.  
'Hey Andrew. Shh, just relax and I'll take care of you.' Emily whispered, touching his hair lightly to soothe him.  
'Emily?' he whimpered, leaning into the contact a little more.  
'Right here Carter, don't be afraid. We'll take care of you.' she promised, opening up one of the tears in his shirt and jabbing the painkillers into his shoulder. Hissing and tensing up, Carter pressed closer to Rufus' chest and trembled in fear and pain before the drugs kicked in and he relaxed slowly.  
'Relax Carter, you're safe now. I'll be right here always, don't worry. Shhh, just relax and let me take care of you.' Rufus uttered, laying Carter back on the bunk and accepting the scissors Emily was holding. 'Let's get you out of these dirty clothes and into a clean uniform.' he added, starting to cut away the torn jumper and shirt underneath.

Returning to Peter's side, Emily caught the uniform bundle LeBeau had retrieved and tossed it up onto the empty bunk above before setting her medkit up on the table.  
'LeBeau, I'll give you fair warning right now. Look away now and keep your eyes away.' she called, dosing Peter up with painkillers before releasing the rudimentary dressings on Peter's leg. Pulling them away carefully, she slit up his trouser leg and folded the cloth out of the way. Now able to see the extent of the injury, she had to force down her urge to vomit and got busy cleaning up the mess.  
'How bad is it Emily?' Hogan asked, sitting at the table and letting her work.  
'I'll put it this way Hogan, I'm going to need a surgical assistant.' Emily replied, turning and digging through her medkit for a particular vial of anaesthetic.  
'Surgery? Tell me you're kidding Emily. Please tell me you're kidding.'  
'Sorry Hogan, I'm not kidding. This break won't be healed by manual realignment and splinting. I'll have to go in and work from the inside out.' Emily sighed, worried about Peter's chances of recovery from this injury.  
'What can I do to help?' Kinch asked, crouching beside Emily.  
'Go scrub up, I want your hands spotlessly clean.'  
'Got it.'  
'LeBeau, I want you to go down to my supply cache in the tunnels and grab four of those metal splints I made in the metal shop. There's a measurement chart on the wall, you'll figure out the ones I need.'  
'Oui Emily.' he nodded, keeping his eyes down as he headed for the tunnel entrance.  
'And grab a second set for Carter, I'll get to him as soon as I'm done here.' she added, not looking up from her careful preparations as LeBeau headed below.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Tying off the last suture, Emily stretched her back out quickly before getting back to work, Kinch crouching at her side and handing her the needed equipment as required. Hoping her repairs would hold, Emily dressed the incisions and wrapped the limb to protect the sutures and other minor injuries before laying out the splints LeBeau had retrieved and binding the leg again.  
'That should do it. The best thing we can do for Peter now is get him into something more comfortable and let him sleep.' she sighed, standing and grabbing down his nightshirt.  
'What should we do with all this?' Kinch asked, holding up the bloodied rag bundles that had been used to catch the spillage from the surgery so Klink didn't get wise.  
'There's a biohazard bag in my kit, its bright yellow. Shove all that in there and stash it in the tunnels. I might need it again when I take a closer look at Carter's arm.'  
'You've got it Emily.'

Fighting down her anger at the Gestapo, Emily gently worked Peter's blacks off and cleaned up all his other various wounds carefully before dressing him in his nightshirt and tucking him into his bunk safely. Digging in her kit again, she pulled out a small red tube and wiped a shine of ointment over the bruises marring his features.  
'Sleep well Peter, I'm watching over you.' she whispered, parting his hair and checking on a small gash on the side of his head. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but she did still want to keep a bit of an eye on it.  
'I'll stay with him Emily. Go check on Carter.' Hogan guided, settling at the table as Emily packed up her kit and headed back to Rufus' bunk to patch Carter up.

The moment she touched his injured arm, he snapped awake and groaned, drawing Rufus back to his side for support and comfort. Setting her kit on the empty bunk beside her, Emily dosed him up with a strong local anaesthetic and waited for it to take effect.  
'How's Newkirk?' he asked, his gentle spirit coming through despite his own injuries.  
'He's sleeping peacefully now. I've cleaned his wounds, splinted his leg and will continue to monitor him. Now it's your turn Andrew.' she replied, gently wiping up the blood dripping from his nose.  
'At least he's okay.' Carter nodded, looking up at Rufus as Emily gently manipulated his left hand.  
'Can you feel what I'm doing?'  
'No, I can't feel anything. Is that bad?'  
'That's good, it means the anaesthetic is working. Just relax, I'll take care of you.' Emily grinned, unwrapping the flimsy dressings from his arm and feeling for the breaks. 'Kinch, I'm going to need you again.'  
'Right here Emily.' he replied, kneeling at her side.  
'Alright, just relax Carter. Everything's fine, nothing for you to stress about.' Emily soothed, taking the sterile cloth Kinch was holding and flicking it out over Carter before guiding his broken arm over it. 'Rufus, hold this up. LeBeau, look away.' she added, handing one edge to the bigger man. Gripping the cloth carefully, he stretched it up to block Carter's sight and focused on calming him as Emily and Kinch got busy on patching him up.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hiding his exhaustion, Hunter looked up from where he was sitting when Schultz walked into the barracks, most likely to get them up for morning roll call.  
'Schultz, I'm begging you. Please be quiet. Newkirk and Carter need to rest, they're in pretty bad shape. They'll be okay but they desperately need to rest peacefully.' Hunter cut him off, stumbling to his feet and heading for the coffee pot.  
'Sorry Hunter, I forgot about their return last night.' Schultz nodded, taking a seat at the bench to check it really was Newkirk in the bottom bunk.  
'It's alright Schultz, just keep it down. They're not going anywhere for a while, the Gestapo gave them a fairly good going over.' Hunter sighed, flicking back the blanket and checking Peter's pulse below the splint and bandages.  
'Hey Schultzie, could you get us some supplies from town? I want to make a nice soup to help with their recovery.' LeBeau asked, getting dressed and putting the coffee pot on to boil.  
'Well, I suppose I can do that for you LeBeau.' Schultz agreed, accepting the list LeBeau had written out and tucking it in his pocket.  
'Thank you Schultz, you're very kind.' Hunter grinned, tucking Peter in again and moving to check on Carter.

Groaning faintly, Peter stirred and blinked as he shook off the combination of anaesthetic and exhaustion slowly. Hearing the sound, Hunter turned away from Carter and hustled back to his friend, careful not to jolt him as he knelt beside the bunk.  
'Good morning mate, just stay still. Do you remember what 'appened yesterday?'  
'Tried to escape and got caught. The Gestapo got a little rough. The trip back was agony, I passed out I think. Next thing I remember was being lifted from the truck and dumped on the ground.'  
'Well, you've got the basics at least. You'll be okay, you're in good 'ands now.'  
'Why ain't I in the infirmary?'  
'You'd 'ave to ask Kommandant Klink about that. Just accept that you're 'ere with friends and relax.'  
'Any chance of some tea?'  
'Oui Pierre, I'll organise that.'  
'Take it easy Peter, you're in no shape to be moving around much. Let me 'elp you, before you undo all the work put in to stabilise broken bones.' Hunter sighed, gently easing Peter into a sitting position and refolding the blanket to make a pillow for his leg.  
'Yup, I remember that 'appening too.' he mused, gazing at the neat dressing around his leg.  
'Here you go, mon ami.' LeBeau grinned, handing Peter the brown mug that did the rounds of the barracks before filing outside for roll call with the others.

Stirring from his own drugged rest, Carter slowly sat up and looked around for their companions but most of all he wanted Emily and her wonder drugs to take away his pain again. Then he heard Schultz outside, taking roll call and sat up, groaning when his head started spinning dangerously.  
'Whoa, steady Carter. Just stay still, the others will be back soon.' Newkirk called, watching helplessly as Carter sat up and swayed drunkenly. 'Rufus!' he bellowed, mind completely blank but he had to do something.

Hearing the panicked call, Rufus spun and barged back into the barracks, hustling past Newkirk to catch Carter before he fell off his bunk and made his injuries worse.  
'Hey, what are you doing out of bed Andrew?' he asked, guiding him back down tenderly.  
'I was going to come out for roll call.'  
'Klink's excused you from roll call until you've healed up a bit more.'  
'I don't feel so great. I was hoping to get another shot of painkillers.'  
'I'll organise something for you, just settle back and relax.'  
'Okay Rufus.' Carter nodded, letting Rufus tuck him back in and get him comfortable.  
'Hey Peter, thanks for the warning call.'  
''Appy to 'elp Rufus. Not like there's much else I can do.' Peter shrugged, trying to get comfortable as they waited for the rest of the team to come back inside.

Trooping in a few minutes later, the rest of the group settled around the barracks and got busy with various tasks. Grabbing out the medkit, Hunter wandered down to check on Carter's condition and give him another shot of painkillers. Digging into the gear stored under the bunk, he came out with a length of blue cloth and ripped a section off. With unmistakeable skill, he turned it into a very practical sling. Sitting Carter up gently, Hunter worked the cloth around his arm and knotted it firmly over his right shoulder. Finding a spare bootlace, he cut it in half and bound the blue cloth below Carter's elbow for support and bundled up the other end to fully encase the injured arm in warmth against the icy chill outside.  
''ow's that feel?' he asked, adjusting the knot so it wouldn't dig in if Carter took a nap.  
'Warm, supported and kinda comfortable.' Carter grinned, sitting up slowly and leaning against Rufus' side.  
'Just take it easy, don't go pushing too 'ard at the moment.' Hunter instructed, checking the rest of Carter's injuries to make sure he hadn't missed anything in the panic of the moment.  
'I'll keep an eye on him, don't worry about that.' Rufus promised, wrapping one arm around Carter's back lightly.  
'Thanks Rufus.' Hunter nodded, packing up the medkit and heading back to Peter's side.

Having already checked Peter's injuries once that morning, Hunter shoved the medkit out of sight but still in range and settled beside Peter, guiding his best friend to lean back against him so he'd be more comfortable.  
'It's bad, isn't it 'unter?'  
'Your leg? Yeah, it's bad Pete. You actually needed surgery to repair the damage.'  
'Surgery? The krauts cut me leg open?'  
'No, I did. They just splinted it and sent you 'ome. Kinch and I did the surgery once you were back in the barracks. No one outside the team knows anything about it.'  
'You did what? Are you even trained for that sort of thing?'  
'Nothing formal but I know what I'm doing. Just relax Pete, I know me capabilities. You were never in any danger, not with me watching over you. Besides, it was battlefield surgery or a permanent limp.'  
'Well, when you put it that way. I can't think of anyone I trust more.'  
'Right back at you Pete.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Two weeks after his encounter with the Gestapo, Newkirk was finally allowed up and outside. Hogan had managed to get a set of crutches from who knew where but Peter didn't care, he was mobile again. Working into the spare uniform trousers Emily had modified for him, he quickly dressed and laced up his boot before Andrew knelt and worked a light weight and very warm wrap around his exposed leg and foot to keep him warm.  
'Ready for roll call you two?' Hogan asked, looking past Newkirk to check on Carter.  
'Ready Colonel.' Carter nodded, letting Rufus help him with his jacket.  
'Ready Gov'nor.' Newkirk nodded, getting slowly to his feet and heading for the door, Hunter at his side with his greatcoat.

Filing outside, the group lined up like usual, kidding around and acting like nothing had changed over the last couple of weeks. Waiting for Newkirk to settle, Hunter draped his greatcoat over his shoulders and flipped the collar up to help against the chill. They all saw the staff car roll into camp and the three Gestapo officers that climbed out but what happened next was a total surprise to everyone. The forest sniper made his presence known, three shots cracking the still air over the camp. Then it was quiet as the three Gestapo officers fell, each one with a neat hole drilled through their foreheads.  
'Well, now we know where the forest sniper stands.' Hogan muttered, astounded by what he was seeing.  
"Knight to Hunter. Safe to return?"  
'Fly fast, you've poked a hornet's nest.' Hunter breathed, the throat mic hidden under his collar picking up the message.  
"Almost at bolthole alpha."  
'All prisoners back in the barracks. Back, back, back. Schnell.' Schultz directed, herding the group back inside as Klink stared in horror at the grizzly scene.  
"Safe in bolthole alpha. Negative sightings."

When they heard a tapping from the tunnel entrance, LeBeau got up to watch the door as Kinch walked over to open the tunnel entrance. Popping his head up, Aloysius looked around and grinned, quite proud of his efforts against the Gestapo.  
'What were you thinking Knight? Three dead Gestapo officers isn't going to be good for us.' Hogan fumed, storming over to face the taller man.  
'Relax Hogan, no one knows I'm connected with you guys.'  
'So you're hoping they figure it's just a coincidence that three of their men die two weeks after two prisoners are returned to this very same camp.'  
'I'm not hoping anything Hogan, I'm hedging my bets. You'll notice I've been very quiet lately, barely taking any shots over this camp. The reason for this: I've been on the move for the last two weeks. It hasn't been easy but I've managed to make the krauts think that there is more than one sniper in the area.'  
'Just how have you done that?'  
'By taking potshots over two more camps in the area. It's a real workout but I've been stirring up trouble at Stalag 16 and Stalag 6.'  
'Three camps now? You certainly are keeping busy Knight.'  
'You got it Hogan. No one's been able to get a lock on me yet, they just can't compete with the tech Emily's been providing.'  
'What I don't get is why this sudden change to assassinating Gestapo officers.' Kinch mused, digging a chocolate bar from his stash and handing it to their protector.  
'No one picks on my buddies and gets away with it. A few minor bruises is fine but when bones start breaking, I get nasty.'  
'Thanks Aloysius.' Carter grinned, feeling safer now that he knew he had someone else watching out for him.  
'Shame you can't find the same guys that roughed us up.' Newkirk sighed, hissing as Hunter unwrapped his leg and checked how the incisions were healing.  
'Actually Newkirk, those were the same guys. I borrowed Emily's tap into Klink's phone and was listening to his earlier conversations. They were coming to interrogate you two again, I couldn't let that happen.'  
'You've got a tap into Klink's phone?' Hogan asked, attention flying back to Emily.  
'Yup, planted it there before I entered the camp proper. It's attached to the line just outside of camp and pretty much impossible to spot.'  
'Very clever Emily. We might be able to make use of that.'  
'By all means Hogan.' Emily nodded, digging under the bunk and pulling out a small receiver unit. 'Here, stash this in your room.'  
'Thanks, this will be most useful.' Hogan grinned, taking the unit and heading into his office to hide it.  
'Well, I'm going to go take a nap. I spent last night harassing 16.' Aloysius sighed, heading back downstairs and closing the tunnel entrance.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

By the time Carter and Newkirk were back on the sabotage roster, Aloysius had seventeen Gestapo kills to his name scattered across three camps. Emily had been busy too, fitting all her dearest friends with a number of different tracking devices. Disguised as buttons, imbedded in boot heels, sewn into clothes and even carefully inserted into watches, the tracking devices meant that no matter what happened, Emily would always be able to locate her friends and rescue them if needed. They'd tested the units thoroughly in camp and in the surrounding woods and were satisfied that they were working perfectly. As an afterthought, she'd provided Aloysius with a second monitoring unit so he could keep an eye on the situation and move to assist as needed when no one else could jump in to help. He was also fitted with trackers so Emily and Hogan could watch his progress against the Gestapo.

Getting an alert in the middle of the night, Emily launched from her bunk and raced into the tunnel. Changing quickly, she thundered along the emergency tunnel and checked the coast was clear before shooting out the tree stump and racing into the woods. Moving fast, she dodged patrols and pushed hard to reach her friends in time to save them. Then she heard voices and slowed, creeping slowly towards the location marked on her monitor. Drawing her pistols, she parted the undergrowth and froze, caught off guard by the scene before her. Hogan, Newkirk and LeBeau were on their knees, hands on their heads as three Gestapo officers discussed what to do with them. Listening to them talk, Emily's blood ran cold and she knew she needed to act fast. Launching from the bushes, she opened fire with her favoured Desert Eagles, the large calibre pistols combined with her accurate aim making short work of the three uniformed men. They went down hard, bloody holes in their foreheads and brain matter spread in wide arcs behind them.  
'I don't even want to know what you three did wrong to get caught.' she uttered, holstering her pistols and dragging the trio to their feet.  
'We're just glad you came when you did Emily.' Hogan replied, gathering up the weapons on the ground quickly.  
'Come on, let's get out of 'ere before anyone comes sniffing around.' Newkirk hissed, taking off back towards camp as quickly as he could. Ducking and weaving through the undergrowth, they reached the tree stump and hustled down, not wanting to be caught short when word came of the murdered men in the woods.

Scrambling up the ladder, they didn't even pause to confer on a plan, they just leapt into their bunks and settled, looking like they'd never left when Schultz came in to do the midnight bed check.


	20. Evening Of The Generals

Getting hands on the copy of the list attending this top secret meeting in Hammelburg, Emily wracked her brain to try and remember anything she could about the Nuremburg trials but she couldn't see any matching names.  
'Well, look at this. General Kodl, Wehrmarcht, Beckman, SS, Wilhelm, Panzer, Admiral Donner…'  
'Real brass.'  
'Top men in the monster division. Kinch should have gotten all that information off to London by now. Carter, watch the door.'  
'Want some food?'  
'No, just coffee.'  
'Okay.'  
'London had some information on the meeting, but didn't know the location.'  
'It's a logistic and supply briefing for an all-out offensive. They want the kraut Generals knocked off.'  
'By who?'  
'Who else?' Rufus sighed, already seeing a crazy plan coming to fruition.  
'By us.'  
'They must be kidding. Come on Colonel.'  
'Oh, Colonel, look, we've blown up bridges, railway stations, munitions plants. I mean we've done a lot of dodgy things and gotten clean away. But, Sir, knocking off those kraut Generals…no Sir. Too much bloody risk.'  
'That's absolute suicide.'  
'Say, how come London can't do it from the air?'  
'Yeah, that's a good idea. What about that, Colonel?'  
'Colonel, a survey 'as been made in the ranks, and the men are overwhelmingly in favour of bombing from London.'  
'It's a good plan but it's a bust for this one.' Emily cut across, shaking her head slowly as she stood. 'The minute that meeting starts, every flak battery and Messerschmitt squadron from here to the channel will be on a ten-second alert. Twenty percent of an attacking force might get through, and that's a big maybe.'  
'Well, our percentage might not be that good.'  
'That's right. But if we can stop that offensive, we might save a lot of lives. Now, anyone who wants to can sit this one out. Volunteers only.'

Needing no further directions, Hunter stood and snapped to attention, desire to get out and strike back at the krauts sizzling through her veins. She knew there would be limitations on her abilities but that wasn't going to stop her giving it a good shot.  
'Awaiting your instructions Colonel.'  
'I had a feeling I could count on you Hunter. We're going to need more hands though.'  
'I'll do what I can too, Colonel.' Rufus added, stepping up beside Emily. 'And you know Aloysius will get stuck in as well.'  
'Well, that's a start but we're going to need more help. Kinch?' Hogan sighed, gaze turning to the trusted radio man.  
'Okay, I'm in.'  
'LeBeau?'  
'Oui, d'accord, I'll go along. It's been nice knowing all of you.'  
'Newkirk?'  
'I'm still thinking about it.'  
'Carter?'  
'Oh, I got nothing else to do. I finished my woodworking class in Barracks 5. I made a very pretty salad bowl.'  
'Well done Carter.' Emily praised, knowing all too well that no one else would. 'Well Peter, it's your decision now. Are you in or out?'  
'Well, there's no law against being a coward, is there?' no one spoke, increasing the pressure on Newkirk. 'I'm with you Sir.'  
'That's the best kind. Let's go.'

Trooping into Hogan's quarters and taking their favoured places, the group waited to hear the plan and their parts in the grand scheme. Digging out the link to Aloysius, Hogan flicked it on and handed around the headsets so everyone could put their heads together.  
'Hogan to Knight, come in Knight.'  
"Go ahead Colonel, I'm on station. What's the situation?"  
'We're planning a big job and you're involved.'  
"Should I head back in?"  
'No, stay where you are and listen. We don't need your talents immediately.'  
"Understood."  
'Alright, it's gotta be an inside job. The best time is that first night when they're all together for the banquet.'  
'We poison their Wiener schnitzel.'  
'We gotta come on stronger than that.'  
"For those of us who don't know what's going on?" Aloysius pushed, hating being left out of the loop.  
'We've got a list of kraut Generals gathering in Hammelburg. London wants them knocked off.' Newkirk replied, comfortable now with the wireless radio set they used.  
"Too many targets for precision shooting?"  
'Not this time Aloysius. I've had a look at the list and to try a sniper nest nearby would be suicide for all of us.' Emily sighed, going over the list she'd memorised.  
"I'll back you guys up however I can."  
'We need access to the banquet room at the hotel.'  
'Fine, but how?'  
'We need a man who's experienced at catering and food. And speaks German fluently. We'll need him in 48 hours. We have to arrange a drop point, signals, the works.'  
'Right.'  
'Carter. I want you to start thinking.'  
'Well, we're dead before we start.'  
"Newkirk lay off him. Not everyone is a perfect thief like you."  
'Aloysius, that's enough.' Rufus warned, doing his bit to keep the peace.  
'I need a couple of bombs, maybe more. They're got to be disguised so they look natural in a banquet room. And they'll need timers. Think you can swing it?'  
'Boy, that's a tough one Colonel.'  
'A man who can make a salad bowl? Please.'  
'Emily, will you give me some help with them?'  
'Sure Andrew, I'd be happy to. I've got a few ideas that might just make it possible.'  
'Thanks Emily.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Ever so careful, Emily carried their first finished table decoration up to the barracks and very gently placed it on the table, Carter watching anxiously over her shoulder.  
'All set Colonel.'  
'Newkirk, watch the door.'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'We've five of them.' Emily nodded, secretly proud of how good the disguise looked. She'd done her best to make it look like a grand building with pillars all around and a very decorative roof line. Atop the roof sat two mini field guns with a Nazi flag between them.  
'Table decorations, the kind that explode.'  
'Magnifique.'  
'Carter and Hunter showed me how to set the timers, Colonel.'  
'Tomorrow, LeBeau and I will go to the hotel at 9:00 in the morning. First we set the table, then we go to the kitchen and prepare the dinner.'  
'The timers will work for 12 hours so LeBeau can set them whenever he wants.'  
'Let's have a look at the floor plans again, huh?'

Heart catching as Hogan reached for the bomb, Emily batted his hands back and picked the device up, very carefully moving it out of the way with gentle hands.  
'It's kinda sensitive stuff Hogan.'  
'Sorry.'  
'May I show you the layout Colonel?' Mornay asked, handing over the maps he'd drawn.  
'Go ahead.'  
'The hall outside the banquet room. And the room itself, with a long table, a bar. And one this side, is a dumbwaiter, leading to the kitchen on the floor below.'  
'All the food has to come up the dumbwaiter?'  
'Oui, and served from here.'  
'Krauts coming. Watch it.'  
'Scatter.'

Hoping the bomb would be safe, Hunter swung up to sit beside Newkirk on his bunk, the two cheeky Brits relaxed and calm side-by-side like they were so often seen.  
'Achtung!'  
'At ease.'  
'Oh, what a pleasant surprise, our Kommandant.'  
'And just when we were about to hear more about your dearest Emily.' Hunter teased, glancing at Newkirk.  
'Monsieur Mornay, you were seen leaving your quarters.'  
'Just a few details in the menu.'  
'The barracks are off-limits to all civilians. Now, you finish your business here and then return to your room.'  
'Oui, at once.'  
'Uh-oh.' Hunter breathed, watching Klink eyeing off the table decoration sitting there.  
'That's for the banquet table, Colonel. I brought them with me from Berlin.'  
'mm-hm, mm-hm.' Klink muttered, grabbing the decoration in one hand and lifting then dropping it back onto the table. 'Seems quite heavy.'  
'Made that way. We don't want them to tip over into the salad.'  
'You wouldn't want mayonnaise on your swastika.'  
'Mayonnaise?'  
'Herr Kommandant, there is no mayonnaise on the menu.'  
'Silence! Oh, shut up. Dismissed.'

Sagging against Newkirk once Schultz and Klink were gone, Emily finally started breathing again and practically fell of the bunk in relief but Newkirk pushed her back instead.  
'Can we get this ruddy thing out of 'ere now?' she sighed, wishing her hands would stop shaking.  
'I'll take it back down into the tunnel.' Carter nodded, gently picking the bomb up and waiting for Kinch to open the entrance before he eased out of sight with the bomb.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Totally confused as to why Hogan had okayed sneaking the dogs into the hotel, Emily kept them silent in a room just near the banquet hall and waited for whatever Hogan was planning. Crouching in the darkness, she held both her precious boys by the collar and listened, desperate for any news. Finally Hogan turned on the mic hidden in his collar, giving Emily clues.  
"Now, I want you to start an argument, real loud, in French. Now, keep it going. Don't let anyone stop you but Mercer."  
'What the hell are you thinking Hogan?' she muttered, turning down her earpiece as the argument got going and picked up volume rapidly. Then things got even more confused as more voices filled the air, different accents mixing and blending.

Then things went quiet and Hogan signalled for Emily to emerge from her hiding place. Relaxing her grip, she straightened and slipped form the room, her dogs padding calmly at her sides.  
'Orders from London to get you out, General. Those centrepieces are loaded with explosives. That whole room goes up in ten minutes.'  
'Then you've got to stop it. Those plans are much more important than any General. They show every supply depot in France. They just issued us with a complete set.'  
'This is gonna be close. All right, look, give me a few minutes' head start. Go back and expose the bombs and clear the room.'  
'Alright, but what about the plans?'  
'Make sure you're the last one out. Close the door. Leave your set on the table.'  
'Right.'  
'General, before you go, I have a small favour to ask.' Emily uttered, blocking his path.  
'Make it fast, we're running out of time.'  
'I know Sir. Just hold still, let these two get your scent. Now I understand why Colonel Hogan wanted these two here.' Emily nodded, motioning the dogs forward and coaxing them to really get the General's scent. 'Good boys, sniff him well. Get that scent, it's your location target.'  
'Aren't those kraut dogs?'  
'It's a long story General.'  
'Sir, the folder containing the plans. What does it look like?'  
'A thin, black, square folder.'  
'Perfect. Those are words they understand. You've got the scent boys?' Emily grinned, looking down at the dogs and nodding as they sat back and waited for further instructions. 'Thank you General, we'll get the job done. Remember, leave them on the table.'  
'All right, back to the kitchen. Now Emily, are you sure your boys can handle the dumbwaiter and the mission?' Hogan nodded, turning his focus back to the young woman who just stepped up to a key role in this mission.  
'They handle it just fine Colonel, don't worry. I got LeBeau to fasten a loop to string to the inside of both doors, my boys won't have a problem with the doors.'  
'What about getting up there?'  
'That's my part of the job.'

Hustling down the stairs into the kitchen, Emily thought on the fly and scooped Remus up, carrying him to the dumbwaiter as Hogan opened the door. Heaving him inside, she clipped a small microphone and camera to his collar, looping the mic up and around his ear securely so she could still give him directions.  
'You're looking for a black, square, thin folder. Run fast, avoid the bombs.' she directed, ruffling his fur and starting to haul him up.  
'Do you really think he can do this Emily?' Hogan asked, checking his watch. 'We've only got five minutes before the bombs go off.'  
'Rom, grab the support kit.' Emily directed, trusting in her dogs to get the mission done. 'In the bag Romus has got you'll find a headset made of a HUD and a microphone. Slip it over my head please Colonel.'  
'You didn't answer my question Emily.' Hogan sighed, taking the headset and settling it into place for her.  
'I have total faith in my dogs Colonel. I trained them well for all kinds of dangerous situations. Now please, I have to concentrate.' she replied, activating the headset and holding the rope steady.  
'Alright Mornay, the car will be waiting out back for you. As soon as the plans come down, you take off.'

Upstairs, Remus flicked the door open and peeked out, Emily's mounted camera scanning the room from the side of his collar.  
"Alright Remus, go." Bounding from the dumbwaiter, he shot into the room and leapt onto the table, sniffing around for the scent pool he wanted. Careful of the glasses all around him and the explosives he could scent, he kept focused and found what he was seeking. Jumping off the table, he grabbed the folder in his jaws and ran for the dumbwaiter, ignoring all the distractions to follow his orders. Bounding into the dumbwaiter, he put the plans down, shut the door and picked the plans up again as Emily winched him back down.

Refusing to be distracted by the trio that had just raced into the kitchen, Emily ran the rope back down and smiled as Remus came into sight, the prized plans held firmly in his jaws.  
'Good boy, very good. Release.' she praised, taking the folder and handing it to Hogan just as the bombs exploded. Tumbling forward, Emily latched onto Remus and held tight, Romus running over to huddle beside Newkirk.  
'Good luck. Get going.' Hogan insisted, slapping the plans into Mornay's hands.  
'Thank you.' he nodded, running off with the folder.  
'You did good Rem, real good. Come on, down you get.' Emily grinned, removing the tracking gear from his collar before lifting him into her arms. 'Nice work Carter, those bombs were perfect.' she added, setting Remus down and picking up the kit bag from the floor.  
'What's the matter?' Newkirk asked, one hand landing on Carter's shoulder.  
'The bombs were one minute late.'  
'I'm glad they were a minute late. You know my dogs are special to me, I'd be very upset if anything happened to them.' Emily sighed, handing Remus the kit bag and checking her ring was still firmly attached to Romus' collar.  
'I wouldn't want to hurt them Emily, I like your dogs.' Carter grinned, reaching down to lightly pet Remus between the ears.  
'And they like you Carter.' Emily replied, quickly changing back into the kraut uniform she'd worn to get into the hotel and leashing up her boys before hiding the kit bag under her jacket. 'We'll see you back at camp.' she winked, heading for the stairs and the back way out.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Looking up when someone else came trooping down the ladder, Emily smiled and threw two well loved tennis balls down the tunnel, Romus and Remus bounding along after them happily.  
'To watch him now, you wouldn't think that Remus just faced a very dangerous assignment.' Peter remarked, taking a seat beside her.  
'Remus had faced missions more deadly than that little escapade. He is a little out of practise but he did a very admirable job under pressure.' Emily agreed, watching the pair come racing back with their tennis balls. Almost seeming to smile around his mouthful, Remus padded over and dropped his ball at Peter's feet before moving back and sitting.  
'I take it I've been invited to play.' Peter grinned, picking up the slobbery ball and throwing it down the tunnel.  
'Here, wipe your hand on that.' Emily smirked, handing him a well worn towel before throwing the ball for Romus.  
'They do seem reasonably happy down here. I would have thought they'd be going stir crazy.'  
'Normally they would Peter, but Aloysius throws the balls for them when he's down here and I've set up a bit of a play area for them in a new alcove off the main tunnel.'  
'So long as they're happy.'  
'And they're happiest when doing crazy things in my defence.'

Carrying home a prize he'd picked up in Hammelburg, Hogan climbed down the ladder and crouched beside Emily, a large paper-wrapped package in his hands.  
'I got your dogs a little something in praise for their efforts today. I know Rem did the hard work but I figure I'd be fair on them both.'  
'Smart man Hogan, if you'd only gotten something for Remus there would have been trouble.' Emily nodded, watching the boys come racing back with their favourite old tennis balls again.  
'I'm safe to offer them out?' Hogan asked, unwrapped the paper and holding up two big bones. 'The butcher in town is a friend.'  
'Sure, go ahead. Offer them out together and you'll be fine.' Emily instructed, leaning back against the tunnel wall as Hogan moved forward and held out the bones. Dropping their toys, the pair took their prizes and ran off to find somewhere to enjoy them.


	21. Everybody Loves A Snowman

Half frozen as he perched up in another tree, Aloysius watched as Newkirk and Carter led a group of airmen towards camp but with the heavy snow that had been falling, the tunnel entrance was near impossible to find.  
'Knight to Newkirk, come in Newkirk.'  
"Reading you Knight. We could use a little 'elp."  
'So I can see. I've been watching your progress for the last fifteen minutes.'  
"So which way?"  
'Hit the dirt, gunfire.' Aloysius warned, putting a couple shots over the camp to keep the krauts busy.  
"You're not 'elping much Knight. Which ruddy way?"  
'You just ran right ruddy past it you fool.'  
"Are you serious?"  
'I've been out here freezing my ass off since dawn; of course I'm fucking serious. Now get inside.'  
"Right, we're on our way."

Forcing his hands to be steady, Aloysius continued shooting across the camp to keep the guards off balance as Newkirk and Carter hustled their six charges into the tunnel and out of sight. He spotted a couple of Germans sniffing around the tunnel entrance and swung his fire around, nailing them both in the face to end the threat.  
'Knight to Hunter, got a copy Hunter?'  
"Go ahead Knight, I'm listening."  
'Eight little ice cubes safe in the tunnel.'  
"Eight ice cubes, confirmed Knight."  
'Double-tail eliminated.'  
"Tally acknowledged Knight. Hunter out."

Spotting another prize entering the camp, Aloysius switched his ammunition and adjusted his scope, sighting on the car that just pilled into camp.  
'Hunter, you still there?'  
"Yeah Knight. Sitrep?"  
'Better open the betting pool again. Hochstetter just arrived in camp.'  
"That's one betting pool that never closes Knight. We await you targets."

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hiding his earpiece, Andrew stood and pulled out a small notebook from his pocket. The moment the men in the barracks saw it, they knew what was going on and started putting in their calls.  
'Place your bets gentlemen, place your bets. The Hochstetter pool is now officially open. Place your bets. Double your money for any correct shot call.' he called, thoroughly enjoying playing bookie for this favourite game.  
'Five on his belt!' LeBeau called, handing over his money.  
'Ten for his hat!' Kinch added, loving to see that black cap fly.  
'Twenty says boot 'eel!' Newkirk challenged, a favoured prize and a great shot.  
'Twenty on medals.' Rufus grinned, knowing how risky that shot was.  
'What's this all about?' Captain Morgan asked, looking around in disbelief.  
'It's the great Hochstetter Pool. We've got a sniper in the woods outside camp and he's got a real vendetta against the Gestapo. No one knows for sure how many Gestapo men the sniper has killed and still he keeps escaping their attention. It's almost a game for the sniper, every time Hochstetter turns up here; the sniper takes a few potshots at him. Never hurts him too badly but scares him a lot.' Hogan explained, watching Hunter handle the pot. 'Hunter, put me in for thirty on the ass.'  
'Thirty on the ass, you've got it Colonel.'  
"Hunter, the shooting starts in one minute."  
'Copy that sniper.' Hunter nodded, holding up his hands. 'Places everyone, places. The first shot comes in one minute.'

Opening the windows and peeking out the doors, the prisoners watched the car pull up near Klink's office and the other Gestapo men piled out, running for the office. The first shot rang out, catching one in the head and dropping him to the ground as the snow was tinted red. Slowly the door opened again and Hochstetter was off, scrambling around the back of the car. Another shot and his hat was left behind before a third shot rang out and pinged off his pistol. Crouching behind the car, Hochstetter looked around nervously before springing into action and scrambling on his hands and knees up the stairs. Another shot and the little Gestapo Major fell over, a piece of rubber landing in the snow near the car.  
'So that's one more for the tally of dead and three shots into Hochstetter. LeBeau, you called the belt shot. So that's ten for you. Kinch, you claimed the 'at this time so you've got twenty in winnings. Newkirk, you got your wish to see another boot 'eel fly. Forty dollars for you.' Hunter grinned, handing out the winnings and stashing the rest away for the next pool.  
"How'd I do Hunter, the snow is making it hard to see."  
'Three perfect shots sniper. Hat, Luger and boot heel.'  
"I'll try again every time I see him."  
'We'll keep the pool open all day sniper.'  
'Kinch, get out the coffeepot.' Hogan directed, getting back on track after their little game.  
'Right.'  
'How can you take a coffee break at a time like this?'  
'You got a better way of listening in on the Kommandant's office.'

Cramming into Hogan's office, the usual team made space for the six new arrivals around Hogan's desk as Kinch rigged up the coffeepot and made room for Hogan to join them.  
"Ah, Major Hochstetter, come in, come in. Always nice to see your smiling face."  
'He only smiles at train wrecks.' Hogan remarked, wondering if he'd ever see another ass shot.  
"Are you here on military business, or is this a social call?"  
"I don't pay anybody a social call. And I certainly wouldn't come here without good reason, not while that sniper is still around."  
'I wish he hadn't said that. Klink can't stand rejection.'  
'Can it Newkirk, I wanna 'ear this.'  
"What can I do for you?"  
"are you aware that last Monday night an American plane dropped a bomb on Gestapo headquarters, demolished the building, wiped out the garrison, killed Commandant Heidrick, knocked the fuhrer's picture off the wall and everything?"  
"No Sir, I was playing pinochle with Captain Bruenschmeer."  
"It was a great personal loss to me."  
"It was a great personal loss to me. He took me for 50 marks."  
"But out antiaircraft shot down the bomber."  
"That's good."  
"But the crew parachuted to safety."  
"Oh, that's bad."  
"But we know where they are hiding."  
"That's good. Where?"  
"Here."  
"Impossible."  
"Impossible? We shall see. I'm ordering my men to search every inch of this camp."  
"Sir, I am Commandant of Stalag 13."  
"That is exactly why I'm ordering the search."  
"Major Hochstetter, may I remind you that my record here is impeccable? No enemy solider had ever gotten out of Stalag 13."  
"But how is your record on enemy soldiers getting into Stalag 13?"  
"What are you driving at?"  
"We have searched this area and have come to the conclusion that those flyers might very well be hiding in this very camp."  
"Are you suggesting these men are here?"  
"Exactly."  
"But why would an enemy soldier trying to escape hide in a prisoner-of-war camp?"  
'I've been trying to figure that one out myself.'  
'Can it Morgan.' Rufus growled, towering over the group.  
"They might very well hide here until the search is over and then make their escape."  
"Ha-ha-ha. Not in Stalag 13."  
"I am taking no chances. I'm ordering my men to search every barracks for anything suspicious, especially tunnels."  
'Yeah, but will you dare stick your head out again?' Hunter smirked, looking forward to another round of betting.  
"What are you doing Klink?"  
"I am calling General Burkhalter. I will not allow the Gestapo to take over my camp."  
"Here is General Burkhalter's written permission."  
"Make yourself at home Major Hochstetter. My camp is your camp."  
"The General has given me 48 hours to find the Americans."  
"Why in such a hurry? Take your time."  
'I never knew Klink was so tough. He stood up to the Gestapo for almost 30 seconds.'  
'Shhh.'  
"My men will begin the search with Barracks 1."  
'What do we do now Colonel?'  
'I don't know.'  
'Well, I got an idea. Why don't we go back down the tunnel, come up through the stump, contact the underground then punch them all in the mouth?' Morgan suggested, angered by his situation.  
'Bad idea, Captain.'  
'Sure, you guys got nothing to lose, but if they catch us, it's "Goodbye Charlie".'  
'I know one thing, Colonel. We're not gonna wait around waiting for the Gestapo to nail us.'  
'Kinch?'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'Take them down the tunnel.'  
'Right.'  
'Now you're talking sense Colonel.'  
'But you're not going out.'  
'Why not?'  
'Because the whole area's lousy with krauts, they'd find you in a minute.'  
'What do we do when the Gestapo finds us in the tunnel? Tell them we're on a three-day pass?'  
'They're not gonna find you.'  
'Sure?'  
'Cross my heart. Because we're gonna dig a whole new tunnel for them to find.'  
'All right men. Down the tunnel.'

Slipping his earpiece back into place, Hunter first connected to a passive radio hidden by the tree stump exit and simply whistled a happy little tune. Then he switched to an active radio headset and nodded to Hogan.  
''unter to sniper, come in sniper.'  
"Go ahead Hunter."  
'Until further notice, anyone coming out of the tunnel is to be shot. Do not aim to kill, wound only and ensure they go back inside.'  
"Orders received. Shoot anyone emerging from tunnel. Aim to wound and ensure they go back inside."  
'Confirmation correct sniper.'  
"Knight out."  
'Hunter. Newkirk.' Hogan called, trusting the pair to do a good job of selling the new tunnel.  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'Yes, Gov'nor.'  
'Start digging a tunnel under the sink, huh?'  
'Right.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Taking up their positions for Hochstetter's inspection, the group quickly recomposed their faces after hearing another shot ring out across the camp.  
"Pay up whoever ordered a collar shot."  
'Later Knight, later.' Hunter uttered, shoving his earpiece out of sight and relaxing.  
'Here they come.'  
'I like their timing.'  
'Carter, 'elp me with the sink.' Hunter called, finishing the cleanup and slotting the board into place.  
'Yeah.' Carter nodded, running over to help shove the sink back into place.  
'All set, Colonel.'  
'Good. Newkirk, you know what to do.'  
'Right, Sir.'

Crouching by the sink, Hunter and Newkirk got busy with a small pile of dirt by the sink base, working the grey-brown dirt under their fingernails and all over their fingertips.  
'Everybody line up for roll call.' Schultz bellowed, opening the door and sending an icy blast into the barracks.  
'Well, what a pleasant surprise.'  
'I don't think it will be so pleasant for you, Colonel Hogan.'  
'Major Hochstetter, always a pleasure to see your smiling face. Uh, did you come on military business or is this a social call?'  
'What is it at your camp, Klink? Everybody thinks I'm a social butterfly.'  
'Never mind the social amenities, Hogan. Major Hochstetter is here to inspect the barracks.'  
'Oh, go right ahead. It's humble but it is home.'  
'Oh dear Major, that's a nasty hole you've got in your coat there.' Rufus remarked, looking down at the short Gestapo man.  
'I will find that sniper and when I do, I will personally shoot him.' Hochstetter spat, walking funny on account of his missing boot heel.  
'You'll have to excuse the mess Sir. The cleaning woman doesn't come till Thursday.'

Sticking with the plan as Hochstetter got closer; Hunter and Newkirk both shoved one hand in their pockets, making sure Hochstetter couldn't miss the strange behaviour of the pair. Swapping glances, they grinned faintly and relaxed, acting for all the world like they didn't care about the Gestapo.  
'Why are you hiding your hands?'  
'What 'ands?' Newkirk asked, glancing at Hunter again.  
'The hands in the pockets.'  
'What pocket, Sir?' Hunter asked, well on the way to driving Hochstetter even crazier.  
'Those pockets.'  
'Oh, well, it's very cold in 'ere Sir.' Newkirk replied, forcing himself not to react when Hunter's free hand brushed his hip.  
'Then why don't you have both hands in pockets?'  
'Oh, I forgot I 'ad two 'ands Sir. Than you very much…' Hunter grinned, looking at his other hand as Klink reached out and yanked their hands from their pockets. Leaning in closer, Klink and Hochstetter gazed at the dirt on their fingers, ensnared in their little trap.  
'Why do you both have fresh dirt under the fingernails?'  
'Sir, 'ave you ever tried to get an appointment for a manicure around 'ere? It is murder.' Newkirk countered, again forced to give no sign of what Hunter was doing.  
'Just look at me nails. I haven't had a manicure in weeks.' Hunter agreed, moving his dirty hand closer to Newkirk's.  
'There you are.' Newkirk nodded, lowering his hand after Klink smacked them both across the knuckles.  
'Newkirk, where's the tunnel?'  
'Tunnel, Sir? What tunnel?'  
'Yeah, we don't know anything about a tunnel.' Hunter agreed, dragging his foot over the pile of dirt on the floor.  
'I didn't ask you Hunter.'  
'Why did you kick dirt under the sink?' Hochstetter asked, shoving Newkirk out of the way and facing Hunter.  
'Because cleanliness is next to godliness.' Hunter replied, stepping back and moving to stand with Newkirk again.  
'And a clean barracks is a happy barracks.' Hogan added, astounded by the mischief those two could create without trying.  
'And a happy barracks is a happy prison camp.' LeBeau continued, enjoying the show around them.  
'And a happy prison camp is…' Kinch went to carry on the line but Hochstetter wasn't having any more if it.  
'Silence!'  
'Cor, I told you we should 'ave 'idden the tunnel better.' Hunter sighed, shaking his head as Hochstetter realised the sink moved.  
''ow was I supposed to know someone would move the ruddy sink?' Newkirk shrugged, watching Hochstetter with growing amusement.

Forced to hide their laughter when Hochstetter slammed his foot down on the wooden cover and fell through, the team wiped the smirks off their faces and slapped on surprised looks.  
'I think I've found the tunnel.'  
'Schultz, don't push, pull.' Klink instructed, working to pull the major loose. 'Just as I thought. We kept our eyes on this barracks for weeks. Right Schultz?'  
'Jawhol, Herr Commandant.'  
'I seem to have discovered an escape attempt before it got very far.'  
'Well, Sir, we were planning to let them dig just a little more before we crushed them.'  
'You will have this tunnel filled with cement, and severe disciplinary action will be taken.'  
'Yes, Sir. Yes, Major Hochstetter.' Klink agreed, following the now limping Major back towards the door. 'Colonel Hogan, you and your men are restricted to the barracks until further notice. I'll see you later.'  
'We will keep searching for our friends.'  
'Colonel Hogan, in the middle of a war, shame on you.' Schultz chastised then headed for the door as yet another shot rang out over camp. Shoving his way back into the barracks, Hochstetter looked even paler than usual and the cause was quick to spot. The small swastika pin that had been visible on his tie was gone, a singed line left to mark its place.  
'One day I 'ope to meet that sniper out there in the woods. I'd like to shake 'is 'and and tell 'im 'ow proud we are of 'is efforts.' Hunter uttered, a faint smile on his face as Hochstetter regathered his confidence and left the barracks again.

Opening the tunnel once the coast was clear, the team welcomed the six Americans but up top and ushered them to the fire, each one of them aware of how chilly it got down in the tunnels. Walking over and opening his locker, Hunter pulled out an armful of blankets and carried them over to the tunnel entrance, dropping them in and whistling a sharp note. Satisfied Romus and Remus would be okay and share their warmth with Belinda, he closed the entrance.  
'All right, look, we'll wait till the Gestapo have cemented the tunnel. When they leave, you leave.'  
'Okay.'  
'Mayday, here comes Schultz. Come on.' Carter warned, standing watch at the door.  
'All back in the tunnel.'  
'It's stuck.'  
'One at a time.'  
'All right, forget it. Everybody go, look for cover!' Hogan barked, sending the secret group scrambling for cover.

Thinking fast, Rufus grabbed one of them and ran for his bunk, practically throwing the man down before stretching out beside him and propping up on his side.  
'Hide under there.'  
'Hurry up.'  
'Hurry, under here.'  
'Quick. Get over here. Cover up.'  
'Come on, make it fast. Hurry up.'  
'I'm not thrilled about this either but move.' Hunter snarled, shoving the last one under a bunk and settling on the edge, Newkirk dropping down beside him. Waving the last one over, LeBeau shoved him in beside the lockers and leant against the lockers to hide him. They barely made it, LeBeau was still settling when Schultz opened the door and quickly shut it again.  
'Colonel Hogan, prepare the men to move to another barracks.'  
'Oh, come on Schultz. We just finished redecorating this place.'  
'Those are my orders. Everybody pack and move in ten minutes.'

Once the coast was clear, Hunter shot to his feet and swallowed nervously, looking around the room and cataloguing all his caches of top secret equipment that would need to be moved.  
'What now, Colonel Hogan?'  
'You'll go with us. We can't take any chances with the Gestapo working in this barracks.'  
'The snow's coming down pretty 'eavy now, Sir. That should cover the move.' Newkirk offered, peeking out the window.  
'Well, what about the tunnel?'  
'Captain, in this camp there are 20 barracks. We have a connecting tunnel to all but one.'  
'Which one's that?'  
'Barracks 4, but the odds are 20-to-1 they won't move us into that.'  
'Uh, Colonel, I've got another problem. What about all the gear stockpiled in the barracks?' Hunter sighed, starting to pull his caches out of hiding.  
'Everyone pack their belongings then take any of Hunter's gear that you can. We can't get it into the tunnel so we have to take it all with us.' Hogan directed, heading into his office to pack.  
'Just what is all this stuff?' Morgan asked, looking at the pile of cases and bags starting to pile on the table.  
'I am not your average prisoner Captain; I am 'ere on a top secret mission from London to test sabotage, infiltration and spying equipment against the krauts.' Hunter explained, packing up his own belongings before starting to sort out all the equipment that would need to be transported and finding ways to hide in on her friends without it being obvious.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Re-caching all his equipment in their new barracks, Hunter swung up onto his new bunk and got comfortable, watching Newkirk playing cards on the smaller table in the middle of the room.  
'You've been looking out that window for an hour, Colonel.'  
'Trying to figure out a new plan to get your guys out of this camp.'  
'Well, maybe Santa Claus will drive by and we can escape in his sleigh.'  
'Colonel Hogan, can we go out and play in the snow?'  
'Why don't we all go out and play in the snow? Maybe the Gestapo has skis for rent?'  
'Morgan, I'm warning you right now. Leave my little buddy Carter alone or you'll deal with me personally.' Rufus warned, rising to his full height and glaring down at the seated Captain.  
'You don't scare me, Lieutenant.'  
'Hey, I don't know how to ski, but I know how to make a snowman.' Carter grinned, jumping down from his bunk.  
'Well what do you say Colonel, can we go out and play?' Rufus asked, draping one arm around Carter's shoulders.  
'Not a bad idea Carter.'  
'Oh, wait a minute, Colonel. We're not gonna sit around waiting while you and your men build a snowman.'  
'This snowman you're gonna like. I think I'll talk Sergeant Schultz into letting us build a snowman.'

Recognising a bad change in the situation the moment Hogan left, Hunter swung down off his bunk and moved closer to the door, one hand up scratching his head but he was ready to go for his knife.  
'All right, men. Follow me.' Morgan ordered, proving Hunter's theory right and bringing the rest of Hogan's team to gather at the door.  
'Where you going, Captain?'  
'We're gonna make a break for it.'  
'I wouldn't do that if I were you, Captain.'  
'We're not gonna sit around waiting to be shot while Hogan's building a snowman.'  
'If he wants to build one, he's got a good reason for it.'  
'Of course he has, he's stir-crazy. Now, I'm ordering you to stand away from the door.'  
'We're under Colonel Hogan's orders, not yours Captain.' Hunter spat, drawing his knife and getting Morgan into a headlock, deadly blade pressed against his neck. 'Everybody back up. Back it up real slow.' he ordered, proving how sharp his knife was by slitting Morgan's collar without really touching it.  
'You 'eard 'im, back it up.' Newkirk snarled, starting to push the restless men back away from the door.  
'That's it, back it up. Now you lot sit down over there and don't move. I can't be court-marshalled, I am a free operator.' Hunter continued, keeping the pressure on Morgan until all his men were seated on two bunks. 'Good, now all of you stay put and we won't have a problem.' he nodded, withdrawing his knife and shoving Morgan over to join his men.

Toying with his knife idly, Hunter finally tucked it out of sight again and looked up at Rufus, a faint smile on his face as he turned his back on the secret group. Morgan took advantage of that moment, lunging off the bunk to grab Hunter but Rufus moved forward and let off a right cross that sent Morgan back to the bunk very quickly.  
'What's going on?' Hogan asked, returning to the barracks.  
'Just a little difference of opinion. These idiots wanted to make a break for it.' Hunter shrugged, returning to Newkirk's side.  
'Not until we build a snowman.'  
'Colonel, I don't care if you are the ranking officer…'  
'And a tunnel underneath it.' Hogan finished, cutting Morgan off really quite nicely.  
'Now that's what I'm talking about Colonel. I knew you'd have a plan.' Rufus nodded, glancing at Carter and grinning.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Biting back a yelp of pain, Hunter grabbed his latest load from the tunnel and hustled inside, a nasty new predicament coming up to bite him on the ass.  
'What's the matter Hunter? You look like you're in pain.' Kinch remarked, looking up from where here was busy forming snow around handfuls of dirt.  
'I am in pain Kinch, serious pain. 'Ere, someone take this load for me, please.' Hunter nodded, sighing softly as Rufus lifted the rope from his shoulders. 'I shoulda known better than to join the digging team.'  
'What's the problem?' LeBeau asked, worried for his friend.  
'It's something that happened in America.' Hunter replied, winking at his friends and they knew he meant the future.  
'Sit down, rest a while. You'll be okay.' Rufus soothed, dealing with the dirt and hiding the buckets.  
'Thanks Rufus.' Hunter sighed, gingerly working into his sweater and everyone noticed the way he was favouring his left shoulder a lot.

Wrapping a blanket around his shoulders, Hunter settled beside Kinch and got stuck into wrapping handfuls of dirt with snow, figuring he could still help out even if he couldn't go back out in the frosty weather.  
'Ohh. Oh, man. Oh, I've gotta have a rest before I go out there again.' Newkirk groaned, plopping down on a footlocker and setting down his burden of buckets.  
'Me too. Boy, I'm gonna tell you, I'm bushed.' Carter agreed, hauling in another two buckets of dirt.  
'Will you stop complaining?' LeBeau asked, lifting up one of his buckets of mud for more dirt.  
'Well, listen, that's hard work. Is this all you guys have got done?'  
'You think it's easy, wrapping a handful of dirt with snow?' Kinch asked, hands frozen but he worked on.  
'And I'm saving this one just for you for a snowball fight.'  
'It'll go quicker now that I'm in 'ere 'elping out.' Hunter sighed, accepting another dirt ball and turning it into a snowball.  
'I thought you were out 'elping us, 'unter?'  
'I would Peter but I just can't anymore. It's an old problem, if you catch my drift.' Hunter offered, dropping a quick wink.  
'Oh, right then.'  
'How you doing, Newkirk?' Morgan asked, poking his head out of Hogan's temporary quarters.  
'Won't be long now, Captain. We should be connecting up with that other tunnel in about an hour.' Newkirk replied, emptying one of his buckets into the footlocker he'd been sitting on.

Suddenly the door opened again and Schultz came barging in, hunched up against the cold. That got everyone moving. Morgan shot back into Hogan's room and shut the door, Newkirk slammed the footlocker shut and sat on it, LeBeau and Kinch covered up the snowballs and Hunter turned so Schultz couldn't notice the way his shoulder was resting.  
'Oh, not another inspection, Schultz.' Newkirk groused, trying to look innocent perched on a footlocker.  
'Oh, it's freezing cold outside. Ahh. I just came in to have a little coffee from my little friend LeBeau.'  
'All of a sudden, I'm his little friend LeBeau.'  
'You all must be crazy, standing outside in the cold, making that silly snowman. Ahh.' Schultz remarked, pouring a coffee and cradling the tin mug in his hands.  
'Something wrong, Schultz?' Carter asked, sitting contentedly at the table.  
'Why are you so warm, Carter?'  
'Warm?'  
'You're perspiring. And you were outside in the cold.'  
'Must be these barracks. Cor, it's like a ruddy steam bath in 'ere.'  
'You think it's warm in here?'  
'Warm? It's nearly 100 degrees. 'Ey, Carter, put the fire out.'  
'Oh, that's a good idea.'  
'What? What are you doing?'  
'It's as hot as it can be in here. We just wanna cool the room off, Schultz.'  
'Oh, Colonel Hogan, please. Tell Carter to leave the fire alone.'  
'What are you talking about, Schultz?' Hogan asked, quickly taking stock of the situation.  
'We were just trying to explain to Schultz that the reason we're all perspiring is because it's so warm in here.'  
'Oh yeah, that's right, Schultz. And don't think Klink isn't gonna hear about this.'

Walking over and opening a window, Hogan let the artic blast of wind into the barracks and Hunter knew things were about to get very painful and he'd have Hogan to thank for days of agony.  
'Colonel, please. Please, Colonel Hogan.' Schultz called, hurrying over and closing the window.  
'Schultz. It's against the Geneva Convention to make prisoners sweat.' Hogan countered, opening the window again. Running over to join the group at the window, LeBeau and Kinch worked out of their jackets as Rufus peeled his flight suit down to the tee-shirt underneath and pretended to enjoy the cool breeze. Growling low in his threat, Hunter went along with the plan, careful to keep his back to Schultz as he worked the sweater off and threw it onto the nearest bunk.  
'Really refreshing.'  
'What a delightful breeze.'  
'Ahh, that's so much better.'  
'Colonel Hogan, if you're all so warm, how come that I'm still freezing?'  
'Why don't you put yourself on sick call and find out, Schultz?'  
'Oh, I think you're right. I'm still cold.'

The moment they heard the barracks door shut, the group withdrew, frozen to their cores as Hogan shut the window. Teeth grit in pure agony, Hunter sunk to the floor and screamed into his knees, rocking slowly as he tried to work through the pain enveloping his mind.  
'Colonel, bloody insanity.' Newkirk managed, shivering and covered in snow. 'Hunter, what's the matter?' he asked, crouching beside his mate and touching his back lightly.  
'Blankets, now!' Hunter snarled, tears in his eyes as he sat there. Grabbing the nearest blankets without snow on them, the group huddled around Hunter and wrapped him in the blankets, trying to warm him up.  
'This has got something to do with what you said before, right?' Kinch asked, pulling on his jacket.  
'Yeah. When I was 17. I had an accident. Broke my shoulder badly. Had to have it replaced. Replacement causes pain when it's cold.' Hunter managed, right hand wrapped over his left shoulder as he tried to warm it up.  
'Why didn't you say something?' Hogan asked, doubling up the blankets over Hunter's shoulder.  
'Couldn't. Not in front of Morgan.'  
'Of course, timeline change.' Newkirk nodded, hoping he wasn't making a mistake as he reached around behind Hunter and rubbed his shoulder gently.  
'I'll be all right. Just need to warm up again.' Hunter sighed, guiding Peter's hand up and wincing as he rubbed over the worst spot.  
'I don't want to 'urt you, 'unter.'  
'I'll be fine Pete. Friction good. Pain I can manage.'  
'Do what you can Newkirk, it's time for another plan. By now, Schultz has told Klink about what we did. Time to turn the tables again.' Hogan nodded, leading the rest of the group over to the stove ad Newkirk shifted closer to Hunter and worked on freeing up her shoulder and reducing the pain.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hearing another shot crack over the camp, the team knew it was time to put their plan into action. Snuggling closer to Newkirk, Hunter relaxed fractionally and shifted his feet on Rufus' lap. The big man didn't seem to mind having Carter leaning against his side and four pairs of bundled up feet on his lap. Shivering pitifully, the group cowered away from the chilly blast that entered the room when Hochstetter came barging in, a new bullet graze in his overcoat collar.  
'Glad you're here, Sir. We'd like to requisition some gloves. Our hands are frozen.'  
'Request denied. It was your idea to build a snowman.'  
'Me 'ands are frostbitten Sir, and I 'aven't even been outside.' Newkirk managed through chattering teeth, showing one hand to Klink.  
'Two men sharing a blanket? What nonsense is this?' Hochstetter asked, eyeing Hunter and Newkirk huddled up together.  
'Sharing body 'eat, Sir. It's a well known survival skill. All the way back to the Ancient Mongols.' Hunter replied, aching shoulder tucked firmly under Newkirk's arm to keep it warm.  
'I thought you were all sitting around perspiring with the windows open.' Hochstetter remarked, choosing not to think too much about Hunter and Newkirk at the moment.  
'Who said that?'  
'Schultz.'  
'Well, he's a sick man, Colonel.'  
'He said he saw it with his own eyes.'  
'Snow blindness, Major.' Rufus replied, tucking Carter closer to his side.  
'Snow blindness?'  
'Yes, yes. It's like being out in the desert. After you're in the snow long enough, you start seeing mirages.'  
'If he continues to act so peculiar, he'll be seeing the Russian front, and that will be no mirage.'

Clear again, the group for the most got to their feet and went back to work but Hunter and Newkirk stayed, enjoying a peaceful little cuddle for a few minutes longer.  
'Come on your two, the sooner we get this tunnel finished, the sooner Morgan and his crew can go home. You know what that means.' Hogan coaxed, getting the pair moving and back to work.  
'I don't care what you say, I ain't going back outside.' Hunter groused, pulling on his sweater carefully and plopping down beside Kinch.  
'Wouldn't expect it of you Hunter.' Hogan nodded, heading back outside to keep an eye on things out there as the inside team got back to forming dirt-cored snowballs.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Clear of the bomber crew and back in their own barracks, the team assembled for roll call, huddling close against the chill wind whipping around camp. Hunter didn't mind that one bit, it meant he got to jam his shoulder into Newkirk to keep it warm.  
'Come on Schultz, its freezing.'  
'Yeah, we're all here.'  
'Maybe one or two over.'  
'Oh, let him take his time. Klink doesn't like the cold any more than we do.'  
'Report. Report.'  
'You'd better report, Schultz. He's turning blue.'  
'All present and accounted for.'  
'Dismissed.'  
'Uh, Colonel, did the Gestapo catch the bomber crew?'  
'Colonel Hogan, I assure you Major Hochstetter will find them.'  
'Ha! He couldn't find the Eiffel Tower in Paris.'  
'He couldn't even find his swastika.'  
'The krauts should call in Scotland Yard.'  
'Yeah, if they can find them.'  
'Colonel Hogan, you've gone too far. Schultz, these men are confined to the barracks without privileges for at least one week.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Commandant.'

Swinging up onto Peter's bunk, Emily smiled and curled up against him, relishing the chance to snuggle with the man she loved above all others. Sighing softly, Peter held her close and nuzzled her hair, delighted to have his angel back in his arms.  
'That's someone in the tunnel.' LeBeau remarked, hearing the signal from below.  
'Carter, watch the door.' Hogan instructed, walking over and opening the entrance. Practically frozen, Aloysius climbed up and over the rail, hunched up in an attempt to get warm.  
'Easy Aloysius, I've got you.' Rufus soothed, grabbing his blanket and wrapping it around his dear friend before leading him over to the table and sitting him near the stove.  
'So cold.' Aloysius uttered, leaning back into the warmth at his back as Rufus sat and enfolded him in a warming embrace.  
'You did a great job today Aloysius, we're all proud of you.' Emily grinned, lifting her head from Peter's shoulder.  
'Thanks Emily. Could have gotten a couple more into Hochstetter but too risky.'  
'This will warm you up Aloysius.' LeBeau offered, pressing a steaming mug into his hands.  
'This smells good LeBeau, thanks.'


	22. Monkey Business

Calling Aloysius back inside the moment they got wind of the wild animals loose thanks to the bombing of the Hammelburg Zoo, the group were still worried about what had happened to Carter. A simple mission to take a transmitter part to the underground had turned into something much more dangerous with the bombing and now the animals.  
'Well, we got some great news. The zoo got 'it in the raid. All the animals busted out of cages.'  
'No kidding.'  
'Let's hope that Carter got to the underground before the animals got loose.'  
'This mission is too risky. He should have been back an hour ago. It's my fault.'  
'What were you supposed to do, send him out with a whip and a chair?'

Turning to look when the bunk entrance swung open, Rufus grinned and shot off his bunk, instantly recognising the cap he could see coming up the ladder.  
'Hey, welcome back Andrew.' he offered, reaching in and hauling Carter up.  
'Andrew, where 'ave you been? We've been worried about you.'  
'Hi everybody.'  
'You okay?'  
'Did you know that the woods were filled with wild animals from the zoo?'  
'Did you know it was also filled with guards? That's why we couldn't get this transmitter part to the underground.'  
'Well at least you're safe but I have to send you out again.' Hogan nodded, turning and heading for his quarters to think. 'Carter, did you say we?'  
'Yeah.'  
'You went on the mission alone.'  
'I know, but I picked up a friend.'  
'Who?'  
'Come on out. It's all right.'

Waiting for whoever had come back with Carter, everyone got a shock when it wasn't so much as a who that came up but a what. Gibbering away merrily, a lonely chimpanzee came up the ladder and perched on the railing, looking up at the team.  
'Carter, are you crazy? What did you bring him back for?'  
'I just had to, Colonel. He was so frightened out there in the woods and he just ran over and took hold of my hand and wouldn't let go.'  
'There were a lot of frightened animals out there.'  
'You're telling me. You should have seen the Grizzly Bear that wanted to come back with us. He wasn't so easy to turn down.'  
'I think it's a great idea 'e brought 'im back, Sir. 'E'll make a marvellous mascot.'  
'Are you crazy too? We can't keep a chimp in here.'  
'Sir, I know all about chimpanzees. I travelled with a circus. I roomed with the Amazing Bloomingtons, George and Freddie.'  
'How does that make you an expert?'  
'Freddie was a chimp.'

Perched up in Carter's arms, the little chimp turned to look at Newkirk the moment he mentioned the name Freddie and everyone knew that this was another hopeless case. The chimp would be staying on for a while.  
''Ey, you see that? I wouldn't mind betting 'is name is Freddie.' Newkirk grinned, accepting his new friend and holding him close.  
'I suppose he thinks you're a long-lost relative.'  
'Charming. 'Ere you go then Freddie, up on the bunk.'  
'Hey, just a minute. That's my bunk.' LeBeau argued, not at all happy with this idea.  
'Come on, there's room for two of you. You're both the same size.'  
'Ha-ha-ha. You're the chimpanzee expert. Let him sleep with you.'  
'My pleasure, mate. 'Ey Freddie, come on over 'ere. This is my place. Come on.' Newkirk coaxed, patting the end of his bunk and swinging up to sit beside Hunter.  
'I 'ave a bad feeling about this Peter but I'll play along.' Hunter sighed, a little surprised when Freddie clambered over Newkirk and settled in his lap comfortably.  
'All right.' Schultz called, entering the barracks. 'Everybody stand by for roll call.'  
'We're all present. Take my word for it.'  
'I have my orders from Commandant Klink himself. There are 16 men in this barracks. I would like to see 16 faces.'  
'All right. Be our guest.'

Glancing at Newkirk, Hunter sighed softly and wrapped his arms gently around the sweet little chimp as Schultz made his count around the barracks.  
'1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11...Please, Colonel Hogan, tell me I didn't see what I just saw.' picking Freddie up, Hunter leant over and gently dropped him to the floor, smiling as he took Schultz's hand. 'Colonel Hogan. Colonel Hogan, please tell me it's LeBeau who is holding my hand.'  
'Uh, LeBeau's over here Schultzie.' Rufus grinned, pointing down at his side. Looking down, Schultz jerked his head up and closed his eyes tight, trying to deny what he'd seen.  
'Hmmm!'  
'Come here, Freddie. Come here. Come here.' LeBeau coaxed, lifting Freddie onto the table.  
'Oh, no, this time you went too far. Oh, this I have to report. It would be worth my life. How did he get in here?'  
'He climbed over the fence to get away from the hunters. Wouldn't you if you were a chimp?' Kinch replied, moving to LeBeau's side.  
'How can you ask a hippopotamus to think like a chimp?'  
'LeBeau, accurate but 'ardly fair.' Hunter smirked, happy to get in with the teasing.  
'You want me to believe that he went over the fence?'  
'Why don't you ask him?' Carter suggested, tapping Hunter's foot out of his face. 'Hey Hunter, get your boot out of my nose, will you?'  
'Oh, sorry Carter. Didn't realise you were parked on me bunk.' Hunter replied, lifting his foot.  
'Remember, Freddie, just name, rank and serial number, that's all.' Hogan advised, looking forward to seeing what Schultz did next.  
'I'm going to ask the questions if you don't mind.' Schultz snapped, taking a seat at the table. 'Now, you. Come here. Now, you tell me… oh no, that's not possible. Oh, I have to tell this to the Commandant.'  
'Schultz, look at that little face. You can't turn 'im out with all those wild animals. Look at 'im.' Newkirk tried, bringing Schultz back to the table to look at Freddie again.  
'Yeah, we could use a fresh face in the barracks.' Carter agreed, not ready to lose his new friend.  
'All right. I shouldn't do this. But this time, I see nothing.'  
'Thanks, Schultz.'  
'But don't let the Commandant see the monkey.'  
'Monkey, Schultz? What an insult. Freddie is a chimpanzee. 'e's very sensitive about that. Look, you've upset 'im now.' Hunter countered, looking over to where Freddie was now huddled up in Rufus' arms, hiding his face in one mighty shoulder.  
'That was really mean Schultz. You'd better apologize to him.' Rufus insisted, lightly rubbing Freddie's back.  
'I'm sorry, Freddie.' Schultz offered, waggling his fingers when Freddie looked back at him. Waving back to Schultz, Freddie seemed content to perch where he was. 'Hee-hee. I'm going to bring him a knackwurst.' Schultz grinned, leaving the barracks.  
'Colonel, they've probably pulled those guards back. Shall I go out again?'  
'No. If they had, Schultz would have mentioned it.'  
'We'd better try something, Colonel. London says the underground needs that part for their transmitter desperately.'  
'I know, I know.'  
'Alright Freddie, down you go.' Rufus coaxed, settling Freddie back on the table and starting to think.

Walking around the table and starting to pace, Hogan turned the situation over carefully in his mind as Freddie paced along the table, looking equally thoughtful about the situation.  
'Andrew, you really brought a sweet character into camp this time.' Hunter remarked, smiling down at him.  
'Thanks, I couldn't resist him either.'  
'Just look at him, pacing with 'ogan. It's so sweet.'  
'You've gone soft on us 'unter.' Newkirk remarked, also watching Freddie and Hogan.  
'Well, I haven't thought of anything. Have you, Freddie?' Hogan sighed, stopping and looking down at Freddie, now seated on the table. Looking up at Hogan, Freddie shook his head, winning even more admiration from the others in the room.  
'It's a shame the Germans don't have a big-game hunter like my cousin Emile.' LeBeau remarked, settled beside Carter.  
'Did he every hunt in Africa?'  
'Yes. He told me that one day, with one shot, he brought down the largest bull elephant in the Congo.'  
'Wow.'  
'Heh. The natives called him "The King of the Bull".'  
'Wait a minute. If the Germans don't have a big-game hunter, suppose we gave them one?'  
'What good would that do?'  
'While our big-game hunter is helping guards, he can also make contact with the underground.'  
''Ey, that's a smashing idea, but who 'ave we got?'  
'Don't look at me, not a chance in 'ell I'm doing it, Colonel.' Hunter growled, his aim unbeatable but he had better things to do.  
'Oh, come on Hunter, you're the best shot we've got. No one can match your aim.'  
'This was LeBeau's idea, let 'im do it. My aim's too good to fool the krauts.'  
'You might have a point there Hunter. Alright, the Bull King's cousin it is.' Hogan agreed, cuddling Freddie against his side.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Not sure if Schultz would stay out of the barracks until after they'd shown off Freddie's new tricks, Emily shifted two footlockers around and motioned for Remus to sit behind them and wait for his signal. He didn't look so dignified in his new gear but that wasn't the point of it this time.  
'Hey, what happened?' Kinch asked, looking up from his card game as Hogan, Carter and LeBeau returned to the barracks.  
'Burkhalter showed up and killed the whole plan. Anybody come up with and idea how we get in touch with the underground, I'll be in my office.'  
'Boy, Burkhalter was so mad I bet he's gonna throw Klink to the lions.'  
'Well, maybe one of us should just take his chances.'  
'With all those guards roaming the woods, it would be a million to one.'  
'Yeah, Kinch is right. If one of us gets spotted with that radio part near the underground, got a very good chance they might uncover the transmitter.'  
'Newkirk, now you've gone too far.' Hogan called, clearly not impressed.  
'Wait Rem, wait.' Emily uttered, joining the group in Hogan's office.

Proudly wearing his new uniform, Freddie was busily sweeping the floor of Hogan's quarters with a modified broom Emily had cut down to suit him a little better.  
'How about that?'  
'Newkirk, you're kidding.'  
'Hey, how come he gets all the credit? We were in on this together.' Emily protested, head on Newkirk's shoulder.  
'Where did you get Freddie that outfit?'  
'I just took one of LeBeau's old fatigue suits, lengthened the trousers a bit, it was perfect.'  
'Don't be so funny.'  
'You're very sensitive, LeBeau.' Emily grinned, arms wrapped around Newkirk's waist.  
'I am not sensitive about my height, but I don't like it that Freddie outranks me.'  
'Sorry LeBeau, those were the only rank patches I could find.' Emily shrugged, releasing Peter and moving aside so Rufus could squeeze behind them.  
'All right, all right. We should be thinking about the mission.'  
'We taught 'im to do a lot of tricks. Watch, Sir. Freddie, that's enough sweeping. What about making up the Colonel's bunk?' Newkirk grinned, so proud as Freddie put the broom back in the corner and toddled over to straighten the blanket on Hogan's bunk.  
'That's marvellous. That's enough of that. Now, what about putting the water on for the coffee?' Emily suggested, nudging Kinch out of the way as Freddie headed for the door.  
'We'll call you when the coffee is ready, Colonel.' LeBeau grinned, following Freddie back into the main room. Picking up the coffeepot from the table, Freddie carried it over and reached up to place it on the heating plate.

Nudging Emily, Newkirk motioned for her to get Remus as the group marvelled at Freddie's new domestic abilities.  
'You did a fine job.'  
'Very good, Freddie, mate.'  
'Colonel Hogan, there is one other trick we'd like to show you. Would you step out here please?' Emily asked, waiting beside Remus' hideaway as Newkirk wandered down with Freddie.  
'What are you two up to now?' Hogan asked, standing in his office door.  
'Freddie, would you like to take a ride?' Emily asked, turning her attention back to the chimp. He nodded and moved behind the footlockers the moment Newkirk put him on the floor. With a click of toenails against the floorboards, Remus stood and held steady as Freddie swung into the rough saddle on his back. Picking up the braided reins attached to Remus' collar, Freddie guided him out and seemed quite happy wandering around the room, just letting Remus go where he wanted to.   
'How'd you get him to do that Emily?' Rufus asked, astounded to see a chimpanzee riding a German Shepard.  
'Of the two, Remus is the more patient. Teaching Freddie to get into the saddle was a matter of Newkirk sitting him there and handing him the reins. Remus came to me when called and Freddie got the idea.' Emily shrugged, so proud of the younger of her two dogs. The difference was only minutes but she remembered.

Doing two laps of the barracks, Remus returned to Emily's side and waited patiently until she'd removed his saddle and reins before carefully heading back down the ladder to join his brother. Bagging up the gear, Emily leant over the edge and flicked it into the alcove just off to the side to be dealt with later. Smiling proudly, Peter scooped Freddie up and tucked him in close to his chest as he wandered back to the table.  
'You know, I've got a great idea. I'm gonna send Freddie out through the tunnel, bring in a couple of 'is chums and we've got it made. We'll be the only prisoners of war with free live-in 'elp.'  
'It's so crazy it might just work Pete.' Emily remarked, perching beside him and taking Freddie's hand.  
'If we're gonna keep Freddie as a mascot, you better not have him working around the barracks. Klink's bound to see him.'  
'Yeah, Carter's right. Klink would have Freddie taken back to the zoo like a shot.'  
'Newkirk, you'd better take Freddie down to the radio room until things cool off.'  
'Right, Sir. We might even teach him 'ow to work the radio, which would leave you available for other duties, Kinch.'  
'Nah, Freddie would need a lot more training before we'd get 'im to do that. A better grasp of language for one.' Emily sighed, leaning back as Newkirk stood and headed for the tunnel.  
'No, hold it, hold it. Newkirk. Wait.'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'It might be better if Klink did see Freddie.'  
'But Klink would send him back to the zoo.'  
'That's right. Sergeant Schultz could be his escort.'  
'But then we'd lose our mascot.'  
'We might lose a mascot, but the underground might gain a transmitter part.'  
'Now I get it Colonel. So what's the plan?' Emily nodded, taking Freddie and straightening his beret quickly.  
'All of you, grab some gardening tools and head over to that neglected area outside Klink's office window. Take Freddie with you and get him working. I'll handle Klink.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Whistling a merry little tune as he worked, Hunter kept half his attention on the newest member of the team as Freddie raked up the mess in the garden bed with a specially made rake.  
'Just order your men back to the barracks.'  
'Aww. Look, it's good for morale. Look how happy they are out there digging and raking and…'  
'Hogan, really I…'  
'Look.'  
'That's it Freddie. Pick up all those little brown rocks and put them in the bucket.' Hunter directed, pulling weeds and smiling as Freddie dropped another pebble into the bucket.  
'Something the matter Sir?' Hogan asked, turning his attention back to Klink.  
'I'm gonna have to ask for two weeks at a rest camp.'  
'Really?'  
'I was kidding myself, Hogan, but the pressure of being number one in beginning to tell.'  
'It is?'  
'You won't believe this, but when I looked out the window I…,I can't even tell you.'  
'Go ahead, try me.'  
'You sure you won't laugh?'  
'You have my word.'  
'When I looked out that window, I thought I saw a chimpanzee working in the garden.'  
'If it'll make you feel better, there is a chimpanzee working in the garden.'  
'That's what I thought. Well, I need a rest. What?'  
'Oh blimey, 'ere we go again.' Newkirk uttered, soothing Freddie with a touch at Klink's holler.  
'Yeah, he's the Sergeant with the stripes. His name is Freddie.'  
'Bring that man in here.'  
'Really Colonel, he's our mascot.'

Getting to their feet, Hunter and Newkirk brushed off their knees and took Freddie by the hands, leading him into Klink's office as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be walking with a chimpanzee. They took a moment to make nice with Helga, winning her over to Freddy's side when he bowed respectfully to the young woman. Then they headed for Klink's office, Freddie still quite content with the situation.  
'You wanted to see us, Sir?' Newkirk asked, opening the door for them all.  
'Yes.' Klink replied, wondering briefly why it took both corporals to bring the chimp inside.  
'Attention!' Hunter snapped, releasing Freddie's hand and straightening up. Even Hogan had to admit, the salute Freddie offered was a charming touch. Klink got snagged by it too and returned the salute before realising his mistake. Sharing a faint grin, Hunter and Newkirk picked Freddie up and sat him on Klink's desk.  
'Colonel, before you send Freddie back to the zoo, I'd like to plead his case.' Hogan tried, moving around to drape one arm around Freddie as Hunter and Newkirk stepped back.  
'Hogan, not another word out of you.' Klink warned, not in the mood to listen to whatever Hogan was going to say.  
'But if he was in the Hammelburg Zoo, he's a German. You might say, he's a civilian employee.'  
'Well then he should be shot for fraternising with the prisoners.'  
''Ow do we know 'e isn't a spy, Sir?' Hunter countered, leaning forward for a moment.  
'Good point. He does look a lot like some of the Gestapo guys I've seen.'  
'Hogan, I will not be diverted. He goes back to the zoo and that's final.'  
'Freddie, you may not believe this but this is the first case I've lost.' Hogan sighed, looking down at their dear friend.  
'Hogan.'  
'All right. When do you want Schultz to take him back?'  
'Immediately.'  
'Colonel, would it be possible just to 'ave a few minutes so that Freddie could say goodbye to his buddies?' Hunter asked, sounding really upset by the situation.  
'It's the least you can do Sir.'  
'All right. Say goodbye but make it brief.'  
'It'll be brief. Pretty tough to talk when you're all choked up.'  
'Freddie, come 'ere.' Hunter uttered, gathering him up and striding from the office with Newkirk.

Looking up once they were outside, Hunter cracked a grin and winked at Newkirk before going back to his sorrowful state just in case Schultz or Klink came to check.  
'You pulled that off perfectly, 'unter. I couldn't 'ave done any better.'  
'I've got skills Pete. Now pipe down, don't blow it now.' Hunter shrugged, not really wanting to say goodbye to Freddie but it had to be done and fast.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Perching Freddie on his lap, Rufus smiled softly as he cut an apple in half and offered the larger piece to the dear little hero on his lap. Accepting the fruit happily, Freddie got comfortable and munched away, his other friends gathered around him.  
'I was gonna make him a sports jacket, you know.' Newkirk mused, adjusting the scarf he'd stitched to Freddie's collar.  
'Couldn't find the material?' LeBeau asked, straightening Freddie's pant cuffs.  
'I couldn't find anything right.'  
'I think he looks better like this.' Carter agreed, leaning against Rufus' shoulder.  
'You really do?'  
'Yeah.'  
'Sure, I think he's great.'  
''Ey, let me take a look at you there. You're right 'andsome, you are.'  
'Now that's an understatement. Best looking chimpanzee in Germany.' Hunter countered, admiring Freddie's outfit as he finished his apple half.  
'Alright Freddie, now you can have the other half.' Rufus grinned, handing over the other bit of apple and shifting a little against the wall as Hogan emerged from the barracks.  
'What took so long Colonel?'  
'Did you have any trouble with the transmission?'  
'No, but it wasn't easy convincing London that the man we're sending out is a chimp.'  
'All right.'  
'Here's Schultz. He's all set, Schultz.'  
'What is he doing in that uniform?'  
'You can't take away 'is suit. 'e's grown awfully fond of it, Schultz.'  
'Yeah, you can't take that away from him.'  
'He gets pretty cold in a cage.'  
'Come on Schultz, 'ave a 'eart. It's our gift to 'im.' Hunter added, straightening Freddie's beret.  
'Yeah, you wouldn't want anyone to see you walking down the street with a naked chimpanzee, would you?'  
'All right, he can keep his clothes on.'

Now came the hardest part, saying goodbye to a little chimpanzee that had wormed his way into all their hearts but no matter what, he had to get home and complete his special mission.  
'Well, Freddie, me old mate, this is it. I 'ope we meet again.'  
'Au revoir.'  
'Bye Freddie. Good luck.'  
'Be safe Freddie, we'll miss you.' Rufus added, hugging Freddie gently to his chest before handing him to Hunter.  
'Take care Freddie. I'll be thinking of you.' Hunter uttered, cradling Freddie so tenderly then letting him go to Hogan.  
'Freddie, you're one of the great chimps of all time.'  
'I feel terrible taking him away. Maybe we could say he ran away and you could hide him here.'  
'No, no. He deserves to go home.'  
'You don't have to do that.'  
'We don't wanna get you into trouble. Now, you've got to do your duty. All right. Goodbye, Freddie.'  
'Maybe you're right. Come on Freddie. Come.' Schultz agreed, taking Freddie by the hand and leading him away. The gang found another reason to smile as Freddie hoped over a patch of snow on the ground, not wanting to get cold feet.

Gathering closer, the group watched Schultz lead Freddie over to the waiting car and lift him safely inside.  
'You know, I'm---I'm gonna miss the little fella.'  
'He'll always be a hero in my heart.'  
'After the war, I think I'm gonna recommend Freddie for a medal.'  
'Yeah, the Legion of Merit…' reaching up, Hunter silenced Carter before he could say something to disturb the moment.  
'I'm sure Freddie will be granted the honour he deserves once the war is over.' Rufus mused, watching the car leave the camp.


	23. The Well

Keeping watch for Newkirk as he worked to secure the codebook in Klink's safe, Rufus looked like he was working on building another of his models but the wing he was making wasn't anything more than a convenient excuse. Watching the compound, he saw Schultz coming and something told him there was about to be a rather large spanner thrown in the works.  
'Working on another model Rufus?'  
'Yeah Schultz, thought I might make a Heinkel bomber this time.'  
'You'll have to put it away for now. The Kommandant has called a special formation.'  
'Right Schultz, I'll go tuck this out of the way and be right back out.' Rufus nodded, bundling up his building supplies and heading for the barracks as Schultz walked away. Glancing back over his shoulder, Rufus spotted Newkirk emerging from the office and gulped, knowing he'd have no chance to cache the codebook before being dragged into the special formation.

Taking up the watch from a different position, Hunter could only sit by helplessly as Newkirk was rounded up by Schultz, the codebook a deadly secret hidden in his jacket.  
'Where do you think you're going, soldier?'  
'I'm going to the barracks.'  
'Halt. There has been a special formation called at once.'  
'Right then, Schultz. I'll be there, and if I'm not there, start without me.' Newkirk tried but Schultz wasn't about to let him go so easily and called backup into the situation. 'Now, 'old it.' he kept trying, backing away from the kraut with the sub-machine gun aimed at him.  
'Get this man to the special formation at once.'  
'Take it easy, take it easy. There's no need to get alarmed. Good Lor…' Newkirk coaxed, backed right up to the well and very nearly going in.  
'Newkirk!' Hunter called, breaking formation and running over to grab Newkirk's belt and keep him out of the well. 'Are you okay mate?'  
'Yeah, thanks 'unter.' Newkirk nodded, grateful for Hunter's assistance. 'See what you nearly made me do?'  
'Come on, we'd better get out of 'ere before Mr Trigger-'appy there decides we're too much trouble.' Hunter coaxed, dragging Newkirk back towards the formation. 'Did you get it?' he uttered, getting back on track.  
'Yeah but I 'ad to drop it again.'  
'Oh, don't tell me…down the well.'  
'What choice did I 'ave?'  
'We'll figure something out.'

Lining up with the rest of the prisoners, Hunter was already working on plans to get the codebook out of the wall. None of them would be easy, most were downright suicidal but a plan needed to be found and fast.  
'Achtung!'  
'Prisoners, the mess Sergeant reports that five silver spoons are missing from the officer's mess. The guilty man has 48 hours to return those spoons and report himself to the Sergeant for suitable punishment. If he fails to do so, the entire camp will be restricted to quarters and all privileges revoked. Dismissed.'

Ambling back inside with the rest of the group, Hunter surprised everyone by digging into his gear and lifting out the five silver spoons Klink had been speaking of.  
'You, Hunter?' Hogan asked, taking the spoons and looking at them closely.  
'Yes, Sir. I considered it a training run, putting into practise the skills Newkirk's been teaching me in our spare time.' Hunter nodded, glancing at Newkirk and warning him to say nothing.  
'Is this true Newkirk?'  
'Yes, Sir. I thought an extra thief might come in 'andy for those times I'm not available.'  
'All right, we say nothing about this for now. We have a bigger problem.'  
'Why did you have to throw it in a well?' LeBeau asked, getting right back to the main issue they had.  
'I was making a wish. I couldn't eat the bloody codebook, could I?'  
'The question now is how do we get the book out of the well?'  
'We could tunnel up to it, Colonel.'  
'Yeah, it'd take too long. Have to find an excuse to work over there. Above ground.'  
'We start digging and tell them we're trying to get the well started again.'  
'Carter, go away.'  
'Hey, back off LeBeau, at least he's trying to come up with an answer.' Rufus retorted, always ready to jump to Carter's defence.  
'Well, hold it, hold it. We could dig that well, but they'd have to need water.'  
'Okay, we cut the pipes.'  
'We need more time for digging, something bigger.'  
'Well, how's about we make the waterworks at Hammelburg disappear?' Rufus suggested, shocking everyone with his sudden and very big idea.  
'Rufus, you're a genius. The waterworks at Hammelburg would be perfect.' Hogan agreed, quite pleased to see Rufus come up with a gem for once.  
'Hey, that's marvellous.'  
'Are you crazy Rufus? That's a high risk target.' Carter worried, trying to stop the plan as the group headed for Hogan's office to come up with a plan for taking out the waterworks.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Cracking a grin as the dirt at the bottom of the well turned into mud, Rufus nudged LeBeau up the ladder and widened the soak at the bottom to coax more water in before making his way up the ladder and rolling out so he didn't knock himself out and fall all the way back down.  
'I got the book, Colonel.'  
'All right, good. Hold onto it.'  
'Hey, Colonel, water's seeping into the bottom of the well. It's a good soak too, shouldn't take long to get a decent water supply.' Rufus nodded, rising to his full height.  
'How about that? We really did a job. Let's get back to the barracks.'  
'Just a minute Colonel Hogan. They are not going back to the barracks yet. Line up, schnell.'  
'What's the idea Schultz?'  
'Spot check. Orders by the Commandant.'  
'Come on, we've been working for hours. What do you want from us?'  
'Quiet!'  
'Still looking for the spoons?'  
'Yes. Klink says he's going to look for them till the end of the Earth.'  
'And let's hope it's a one-way trip.'  
'Now I'm going to make the search. Rufus, please.'  
'Yeah, I know, I know. Height considerations must be made.' Rufus sighed, sinking slowly to one knee.  
''Ey, just a minute Schultz. Am I in the right place?'  
'No, I stand over there.'  
'Carter, you're not over there. And you're always on my right.'  
'No, no. I'm at Rufus' right.'  
'I don't care! I don't care where you stand! Line up! Keep it that way! That's better!'  
'Can we hurry this up please? My knees are aching.' Rufus groused, utterly humiliated by the way he had to kneel for searches so the guards could reach.  
'Of course Rufus, I'll start with you so you can get up soon.' Schultz nodded, starting to search the massive pilot.

They all heard the splash as the codebook went back into the well by mistake. LeBeau had been planning to hide it just in reach until Schultz had searched him then grab it again but now they had another very big problem to solve. Just how to get the codebook out of an active well during a German winter.  
'Up you get Rufus, danke.'  
'Thanks Schultz, you make these humiliating moments bearable.' Rufus nodded, rising again and rubbing his aching knees as he waited for the others to be searched before they all wandered back to their barracks.

The moment he entered the barracks, Hunter headed for one of his caches and pulled out a small blue bag, checking the contents before settling on his bunk, Newkirk dropping down beside him.  
'I say forget the codebook, Colonel. It's lost.'  
'Okay, Ritter checks out, he asks for it, no book, big investigation. You know how this ends? They shoot us as spies.'  
'Well, we're not spies, Colonel. We're just POW's.'  
'Blowing up bridges and factories in our spare time.'  
'Well, it keeps us out of trouble.'  
'There's no choice. Somebody's gotta dive for it.'  
'By now, there's ten feet of ice water in the well.'  
'He'll need earplugs, a flashlight, and we'll waterproof it with wax and gum.'  
'I 'ate to interrupt while you're on a roll Colonel but I'm volunteering for the dive mission. I've got me kit right 'ere for it.' Hunter offered, patting the bag in his lap.  
'Hunter, I know your shoulder won't take the cold. I can't let you go down there; your shoulder won't take the strain.'  
'Sir, I've got a proper diving suit, underwater light and all the gear I'll need to make that dive safely. All I ask is that you trust me enough to pull it off without another mistake.'  
'Alright Hunter, you can go swimming.'  
'Thanks Colonel. Newkirk, I'll need your 'elp to get ready.'  
'You got it 'unter.'  
'We'll have to get most of the krauts out of camp. I've got an idea. Who hasn't escaped lately?'  
'I don't care to escape. I like it here.' LeBeau replied, all eyes on him.  
'I haven't either, I'd be happy to take a turn.' Rufus added, glancing at LeBeau.  
'I've got a plan for a diversion. It may involve shooting.'  
'Makes it sound like fun.'  
'I'd be happy to go Colonel, if we can swing the diversion my way.'  
'Newkirk, think you can adjust one of our kraut uniforms to fit Rufus? Nothing fancy, just enough to get him to blend in with the other guards that go out looking for him.'  
'I think so Sir, I'll need some 'elp from 'unter and LeBeau.'  
'Get busy. I'll go swing the plan with Klink.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Working into the dive suit, Emily squirmed and jerked the thick rubber up her arms and over her shoulders before turning to Newkirk and breathing out as he ran the heavy-duty zipper up her back but stopped short of the top.  
'Are you sure about this thing Emily?' he asked, helping with the hood.  
'Trust me Peter; I know what this thing can handle. Once I'm all kitted up, I'll be perfectly warm in that chilly water.' Emily grinned, adjusting her mask and checking the seals and air supply before slipping it off again.  
'I 'ope so, I'd 'ate for you to be in any pain after this.' Peter sighed, running the zip up and securing it before helping with the gloves.  
'Stop fussing Peter, I'll be fine. I've used this suit plenty of times, been in water down to fifteen degrees below freezing.' Emily soothed, checking the seal between her gloves and the rest of her suit before picking up the waterproof light and strapping it to her wrist.

Ducking through to the ladder, Rufus adjusted his helmet and tapped Emily on the shoulder, turning slowly as she looked him over with a critical eye.  
'Well, what do you think? Colonel Hogan reckons it's just bad enough to pass.'  
'You make a fine kraut Rufus. Where'd you get the rifle?'  
'It's Schultz's, we borrowed it earlier.'  
'Just remember to keep your head down and don't straighten up too much. The krauts are short so act small. Aloysius is standing by outside, he'll keep an eye on you as well.' Emily nodded, satisfied with the look and hoping it would work to keep the krauts busy.  
'Got it. Thanks Emily and good luck.' Rufus grinned, shouldering his rifle again.  
'Good luck to you as well. Be careful out there, okay.'  
'I will Emily.' Rufus replied, heading up the ladder with Hogan.

Checking all her overlaps were secure and watertight, Emily grabbed her mask and air tank and checked her torch was working before starting up the ladder, her rubber suit creaking and squeaking with every movement.  
'The krauts are going to hear you coming a mile off Emily.' Peter remarked, following her up with a blanket and rope.  
'I thought I told you to stop worrying Newkirk. Most of the guards will be gone and those left will be too far away to hear the noise.' Emily sighed, scrambling out the entrance and taking up her position as Hogan got the diversion started.

Once the truck was gone, the second group hustled from the barracks, a spare blanket wrapped around Emily to keep prying eyes from realising just what was going on. Reaching the well, Emily dropped the blanket, kicked off her boots and climbed onto the edge of the well; mask held lightly in her hands as Newkirk loosely tied the second rope around her waist then slid the slipknot down to keep the rope firm at her abdomen.  
'Now, got the signals? Two tugs on the rope means we'll pull you up. Three tugs means trouble, stay down. Good luck.'  
'Alright, let's get this done.' Emily nodded, borrowing a corner of Newkirk's jacket to wipe off her mask before slipping it on and pulling the straps tight. Adjusting the tank strapped to her lower back, she fitted her breather into place and nodded, satisfied with the flow. Clicking on the torch, she pushed off the edge and held tight to the main rope as Newkirk lowered her into the well.

Hitting the water, Emily released her grip on the bucket and disappeared into the murky depths, flashlight sweeping the area as she hunted up that codebook yet again. She could feel the faint chill of the water but it wasn't at all uncomfortable, just a little niggling warning that the water was colder than anticipated. Then she saw her prize, resting in the corner of the well. Snagging it up, she shoved it into the netting bag at her hip and swam back to the bucket. Securing her grip on the main rope, she twisted her hand into the signal rope and gave two sharp jerks, relaxing slightly as she was lifted back towards the surface. Breaking the surface of the water, she removed her breather and clipped it to her belt, the relaxed diving kit perfect for moments like this. Most people had a back mounted tank, the massive thing hanging between their shoulders. This smaller tank did the same job but was easier to use underwater and took up a lot less space in her kit.  
'Did you get it?' Kinch asked, leaning over the edge.  
'It's right here.' Emily nodded, patting the mesh bag at her hip.  
'Watch it. Kraut coming, take cover.' Hogan warned, scrambling for cover.  
'Oh shit.' Emily uttered, Newkirk and Kinch both releasing the winch and dropping her back into the water. Fumbling for her breather, she jammed it between her teeth and wrapped her right hand over her mask to keep it in place as she hit the water and went under again. 

Clinging to the rope, she waited ever so patiently for her friends to start hauling her up again. Turning her wrist over, she watched the seconds tick past on her illuminated watch and cursed mentally, wanting out of the water. Snapping her hand down, she checked the codebook was still there and smiled around her breather when she found it still secure in the mesh bag. Finally the rope went taught again and she started to rise, the water releasing its chilly grip as she secured her breather and tried to relax.  
'I hope you're having a better time tonight than I am Rufus.' she muttered, climbing up onto the edge of the well and removing her mask before handing over the mesh bag.  
'Get London working on that right away.' Hogan ordered, handing Kinch the codebook.  
'Right.' Kinch nodded, heading for the barracks and dodging the searchlights.  
'Let's get this blanket on Emily.' Hogan continued, unfurling the blanket and walking around the well. 'Nice going Emily, nice work.' he praised, wrapping the blanket around her as Newkirk got the signal rope loose. 'There you are, champ.'  
'You did a great job Em.'  
'Thanks Peter.' Emily grinned; taking a seat beside the well to catch her breath and make sure her tank was turned off properly.  
'Yeah. You've got an affinity for water. Natural frogman.'  
'Be a smash in the Navy.'  
'Shuddup the pair of ya. I was in the United States Marine Corps for five years, now there's a group that knows how to get their feet wet.' Emily snorted, pushing to her feet and working on her boots before heading for the barracks, the rest of her dive gear hidden under the blanket. 'Newkirk, I'm going to need your 'elp again.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Back in uniform, Hunter calmly finished drying off the dive gear and packed it all away again, hopefully to never be needed again. Tucking the bag in among the rest of his gear, he headed back up to the barracks and settled at the table, smiling warmly when LeBeau put a steaming mug of coffee in front of him.  
'Thanks LeBeau.'  
'I still can't believe you did that 'unter.' Newkirk grinned, settling across the table from his best mate.  
'I knew you wouldn't do it and really, making Carter freeze just wasn't fair. I was 'appy to do it, gave me a chance to brush up on old skills.' Hunter shrugged, testing his aching shoulder.  
'The cold got to you, didn't it? You can't lie; I saw that 'int of pain.'  
'I won't tell fibs, the cold got me a little. Not so much the first time but when you dropped me in again.'  
'What else were we supposed to do with a kraut guard sniffing around?'  
'Someone coulda kept a grip on the support rope.'  
'Kinch 'ad that rope. I was on the winch.'  
'All right, I forgive you. Just don't screw the mission up when you take the book back.'  
'I'll be careful, don't worry.'  
'Hunter thanks for your help with the job.' Hogan added, emerging from his office with the stolen spoons in his hand. 'I've given it some thought and I'm not going to hand you in for the thieving. Just be a little more selective of your prizes from now on.'  
'Yes Gov'nor, I will Gov'nor'.'


	24. Saving The Enemy

Hustling back to camp after another successful sabotage mission, Emily glanced back over her shoulder when she heard Carter trip over something. Turning back, she found Carter draped over a body on the ground. Helping Carter up, Emily knelt and unhooked her torch from her belt, adjusting the variable light and clicking it on to see whom they'd discovered. Casting the torch over the body, she was surprised by the extent of the damage she could see, blood spattered the torn uniform and from the angle his right arm was sitting, his shoulder was obviously dislocated. Drifting the torch light higher, both prisoners gasped when they realised just who was there in front of them.  
'I say we leave him Emily.'  
'No, I can't do that Carter. Gestapo or not, he's still a human being and that's what matters.' Emily replied, reaching into her belt pouch and removing a small tracker.  
'Colonel Hogan will have a fit if you bring Hochstetter through the tunnels.'  
'I've got no intention of doing that. First we're going to go back to camp and report a successful mission. Then I'm coming back out here to do the right thing. Hogan can argue if he wants but I cannot just leave him here to suffer.' Emily replied, shouldering out of the smaller emergency kit she was carrying and digging out a special blanket. Tucking it around Hochstetter gently, she stood and hustled back towards camp with Carter.

Scrambling into the tunnel entrance, Emily ran back to where she'd stashed her uniform and changed quickly, wiping the muck off her face and picking up her medical kit.  
'What's the emergency Emily? Carter's back and no one else went on missions tonight.' Kinch asked, baffled by Emily's unusual behaviour as she stuffed a very small and very basic medical kit into a different pack and swung it over her shoulders.  
'I'll explain everything tomorrow Kinch…provided I'm still around. Here, watch my back.' Emily replied, handing over her main tracking monitor and slipping a smaller one around her wrist.  
'What do I tell Newkirk?'  
'Nothing for now. If I'm not back in camp tomorrow, tell him I love him and made a choice to save a life.'  
'You've got it Emily.' Kinch nodded, even more confused as Emily raced back towards the emergency exit.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Ignoring the twinge in his back, Hunter did what he could to stabilise Hochstetter's condition before gently lifting him onto the blanket as carefully as he could. Hochstetter groaned faintly, still in serious pain but Hunter didn't have any meds with him to ease the pain. All he could do was support the various injuries and get him to help quickly.  
'Easy Major, easy. You're in safe 'ands now, I'm going to get you some 'elp.' Hunter soothed, gathering up the scattered pieces of uniform on the ground and shoving them into his bag for safekeeping. The only thing that didn't go into the bag was the crushed and dirty cap. This Hunter quickly reshaped and brushed off before placing it on Hochstetter's head.

Moving around to kneel at Hochstetter's left, Hunter gathered the wrapped man into his arms and straightened, tipping his hat forward with a light brush of his chin. Stabilising his grip, Hunter turned and slowly started to make his way back to camp, aiming for the main gate so medical attention could be sought immediately. Moving gingerly through the trees, Hunter placed his feet carefully and scanned the area before choosing his path, not wanting to make things worse for Hochstetter by belting him into a tree or anything like that.  
'Stay with me, Major, you mustn't give up. I'm 'ere to 'elp, just 'old on.'

Emerging from the woods, Hunter picked up speed a little once he was on the road, his concern growing as Hochstetter seemed to look even paler than normal. Finally the gates came into view and Hunter smiled grimly, aware of how Hochstetter had started shaking in his embrace, a trickle of blood now dripping from the corner of his mouth. Worry starting to show, Hunter picked up the pace again but didn't dare break into a run, the jolting wouldn't do his burden any good at all.  
''Elp! Please, someone 'elp!' he called, drawing attention to them and continuing his desperate journey to the gates. ''Elp! 'E's been attacked! Please, 'elp!'

Looking down at the limp form in his arms, Hunter swallowed nervously and just hoped Hochstetter had the strength to hold on a little bit longer. Getting closer to the gates, Hunter didn't dare stop to rest and wait for the guards; he had to keep going despite his own pain and exhaustion. Finally reaching the gates, he was surprised to find them already open and Schultz standing there with Klink and several other guards.  
'Please Sir, don't be angry. I didn't know what else to do. I was trying to get 'ome and I found 'im in the woods.' Hunter uttered, sinking to his knees just inside the gates and checking Hochstetter's pulse. 'German or not, I couldn't just abandon 'im.'  
'Corporal Hunter, I don't understand. You were going to escape but you came back with Major Hochstetter. Why?' Klink asked, crouching beside Hunter as one of the guards raced off to get a stretcher.  
'I've always been a compassionate kind of guy. I tripped over 'im in the darkness and just couldn't leave 'im. I tried to walk away but I saw another 'uman being that needed 'elp and 'ad to try.' Hunter explained, gathering Hochstetter into his arms again and standing. 'I'm ready to face my punishment Commandant but please, let me try to 'elp 'im first.'  
'Take him to the guest's quarters. Schultz, call for a doctor. This way Corporal but wouldn't you rather wait for the stretcher?' Klink nodded, stunned by Hunter's willingness to help a German.  
'I've carried 'im this far Commandant, I can carry 'im the last little way.' Hunter replied, smiling gratefully as one of the other guards picked up Hochstetter's hat and placed it back on his head.  
'Very well. This way.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Absolutely exhausted as he sat on the steps outside the guest quarters, Hunter had trouble staying awake but he had to know Hochstetter's condition before he would allow his body to rest. Leaning against the wall, he fumbled for a cigarette and lit it, watching the smoke curl lazily skyward as he waited for news. Nearby, Schultz stood guard silently, watching the exhausted Englander wait for news, be it good or bad.  
'You are the one that carried Major Hochstetter back to camp?' someone asked and Hunter looked up, smiling tiredly at the doctor behind him as he stood. He was an older man, probably in his late forties, with thick salt-and-pepper hair, a little moustache and dancing blue eyes that just didn't seem to fit with his impression of Germans. Tall and lanky, he wasn't threatening in any way, he actually reminded Hunter of a mate he had back home.  
'Yes Doctor. I am Corporal Andrew 'unter, RAF.'  
'Doctor Heinrich Konschegg, Luftwaffe. I must say, I'm surprised that a British airman carried a Gestapo officer to a POW camp.'  
'I was trying to escape and tripped over 'im in the woods. Call me a fool but I couldn't abandon 'im. Tried twice but just couldn't do it. I couldn't take 'im to a local 'ospital, I'd be in even bigger trouble. So I figured I'd bring 'im back to the same camp I left.' Hunter shrugged, leaning back against the wall tiredly. 'For a little guy, 'e's a 'eavy sod.'  
'You made the right decision Corporal, I do not think he would have survived a longer journey to help. He will need constant care for a while, the attack has left him very weak. I will speak with Colonel Klink, perhaps we can come to some kind of an agreement about your punishment.'  
'I will face whatever punishment the Commandant 'ands down, Sir. I tried to escape, that'll mean cooler time and I'm ready.' Hunter shrugged, swaying on his feet.  
'Here, sit down before you fall Corporal.' Konschegg offered, catching Hunter under the arms and guiding him down to sit on the stairs. Slumping back against the wall again, Hunter looked up at the doctor and nodded, amazed by how kind this kraut was being.  
'Will the Major be all right?'  
'Yes Corporal, with time he will pull through. Guard, go and find someone to take Corporal Hunter back to his barracks.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Doctor.' Schultz nodded, turning and walking away to find Hogan.

Flicking his cigarette butt well away from the building, Hunter sagged against the wall a bit more and sighed, wondering what Hogan would say about the situation when he got the full story.  
'There you are Hunter, we've been worried about you.' Hogan called, seeming relieved to have his Corporal back.  
'Sorry about that Gov'nor.' Hunter replied, lifting his gaze slowly. 'Doctor Konschegg, meet Colonel 'ogan, me CO.'  
'Colonel Hogan, this man did something amazing last night. Kindly take him back to his quarters to rest, he's had a very busy night. He did a very good deed for a man who deserved no such treatment from an Englishman.'  
'Newkirk, give me a hand here.' Hogan sighed, waiting until Newkirk had his arms around Hunter's chest before they lifted him and carried him back towards the barracks.  
'Now I can rest.' Hunter muttered, slipping gratefully towards slumber as his friends carried him home.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Looking up from their various reading material and card games when the door opened, no one in Barracks 2 knew what to think when Klink, Schultz and some other kraut walked in casually.  
'What brings you to our humble home Commandant?' Hogan asked, getting to his feet.  
'We're here to speak with Corporal Hunter.' Klink replied, gaze falling on the sleeping man, tucked up safely on his bunk.  
'I'll wake 'im. 'E can get a little nasty when woken.' Newkirk offered, jumping down from his bunk and leaning over to wake Hunter.  
'What's this all about Colonel?' Hogan tried, not wanting to let Hunter go without finding out more.  
'By now I am sure you've heard of what Hunter did last night. He gave up a chance to escape to bring Major Hochstetter here.'  
'So that's what he was doing last night. I still don't get why you want him awoken.'  
'Get lost Newkirk.' Hunter mumbled, swatting at Newkirk's hand and rolling over.  
''unter, the Commandant wants to talk to you. Wake up.' Newkirk tried again, giving Hunter a sharper nudge in the ribs.  
'All right, all right. I'm awake. Now what the 'ell was so important?' Hunter groaned, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
'Feeling any better now Corporal?' Konschegg asked, taking a seat at the table.  
'I'd feel better if I 'adn't been so rudely awoken.' Hunter replied, still waking up slowly. 'Oh, forgive me 'arsh tone Doctor Konschegg. I didn't realise it was you.'  
'Quite all right Corporal, I see people at their worst moments regularly. I've spoken with Colonel Klink regarding your punishment and…'  
'Just a moment Doctor. At least let me wake up properly before you drop the news.' Hunter cut him off, holding up one hand.  
'Of course. How rude of me, Corporal.'

Lacing up his boots, Hunter stood and stretched, walking around the barracks as he woke up. Getting to his feet, Newkirk snagged Hunter's favourite coffee mug and rinsed it out before filling it up and pressing it into his hands. Drinking deep, Hunter barely flinched as he gulped down the steaming coffee and went back for another mug before turning back to the waiting Germans.  
'Now, what were you saying Doctor Konschegg?'  
'I've spoken with Colonel Klink regarding your punishment and we've come to an acceptable compromise. You will not be facing any cooler time for your attempted escape.'  
'I won't? If I'm not going into the cooler, what's me punishment for escaping?' Hunter asked, starting to worry that his plan was about to backfire quite spectacularly.  
'Well, I have to go back to the hospital but Major Hochstetter will require someone to keep an eye on his condition until he's feeling ready to leave Stalag 13 and get back to his usual duties. You will temporarily move into the guest quarters he is occupying and tend to him until such time.'  
'You want me to nurse 'im back to 'ealth? I wouldn't want me mates to think I'm thinking of defecting or anything.'  
'They will be allowed to visit you, so long as they do not disturb Major Hochstetter. I believe you will find that fair.'  
'Colonel, any protests?' Hunter asked, turning to Hogan and waiting for his call on the situation.  
'I know you wouldn't defect to the Germans, not while Newkirk is still around and firmly aligned with Britain. I'll organise a visit roster with the guys who want to keep an eye on you. Pack your things, you've got work to do.' Hogan nodded, taking the piece of paper Rufus was holding and finding a pencil.  
'Right-o Gov'nor.' Hunter nodded, opening his footlocker and bagging up his few personal belongings.

All packed, he stood and shouldered into his jacket, donned his cap and slung his greatcoat over his shoulder before turning to Peter and offering his hand.  
'Don't look so worried mate, I'll be back. There's nothing the krauts can offer that'd make me turn me back on me oldest mate.'  
'I know Andrew, I just can't 'elp but worry, you know what I'm like.' Newkirk nodded, clasping Hunter's offered hand firmly.  
'Yeah, you're an old mother 'en, that's what you are. You won't get rid of me that easily mate.' Hunter grinned, holding up his right hand and displaying the simple friendship ring he hadn't taken off since arriving.  
'I'll 'old you to that 'unter. Go on, you've got a very important job to do.' Newkirk replied, toying with his matching ring as Hunter shouldered his bag and strode from the barracks.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Putting his gear down and shedding his jacket, Andrew padded quietly into the bedroom and checked on the sleeping Major. The doctor had done a good job cleaning Hochstetter up and relocating his shoulder but the severe bruising and minor injuries remained as a painful reminder of the suffering he'd endured. On the bedside table sat a bowl of clean water and a neatly folded cloth, a silent invitation to continue the treatment as required. Spread out on the other table in the room, medical supplies had been organised and medication instructions rewritten in English to make things a little easier. Also on the table was a neatly written list of injuries, giving Andrew his first real indication of the situation he'd stumbled into without meaning to. Picking the list up, he read it over carefully, tallying up the injuries and wondering quietly how Hochstetter had survived such a thrashing.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Andrew put the list down and returned to Hochstetter's side, taking in his swollen and damaged features. Sighing softly, he pushed away thoughts of pity and sorrow and smoothed out the blankets, tucking them in gently and doing what he could to make Hochstetter comfortable until he regained consciousness. Leaving him to sleep, Andrew returned to the lounge room and hung his greatcoat and jacket up before unpacking his meagre possessions and relaxing. This wasn't quite the payout he was hoping for but it would be a good jumping off point to coax some bigger things from his new charge.

Looking up when someone knocked on the door, Andrew stayed where he was when Klink and Konschegg wandered in to check on him before the doctor had to leave.  
'Have you been in to check on your patient, Corporal?'  
'I have Doctor. Major 'ochstetter is sleeping peacefully. I also saw the medical supplies all set out for use and the medical instructions so carefully written out in English.'  
'Very good. I expect you to write daily reports on Major Hochstetter's condition. Here is the book for those reports.' Konschegg nodded, handing over a neatly bound book with the medical symbol and Hochstetter's name on the front.  
'They'll be written in English, I don't know much German.' Andrew replied, rising and accepting the book.  
'That will be fine, I can have them translated into German once I receive the completed reports. Colonel Klink knows where to send them when you're finished.'  
'I understand completely Doctor Konschegg. I never imagined me old medical training would come in 'andy like this.'  
'If you need any assistance, my office phone number is written inside the front cover of the medical book.'  
'I will keep you informed Doctor.'  
'Very well Corporal, I leave his treatment in your hands.' Konschegg replied, shaking Andrew's hand before turning and leaving the room with Klink.

Settling back on the couch, Andrew flipped through the book to get a feel for the paperwork he'd have to fill out. Someone had kindly put English translations near all the German words on the first few pages and typed up a full translation guide which was tucked into the back. Scanning that quickly, he flipped to a supplemental form and unhooked the pen from the side of the book then started to write out what he knew about the situation in the woods.  
"Knight to Hunter, come in Hunter."  
'What is it Knight? I'm a little busy.'  
"Hogan just flashed a mirror alert to me, what's up?"  
'I did need to talk to you but I've been busy. I'm ordering a cancellation to the 'ochstetter sniping.'  
"What? You'd better have a good reason for this Emily."  
'Someone beat the living snot out of him last night. I'm talking broken bones, internal injuries, severe facial swelling, the works.'  
"That doesn't explain why you want an end to the sniping."  
'I'm going to try and work 'im as a friend. Continue sniping over the camp but no more 'ochstetter.'  
"All other Gestapo still fair game?"  
'Confirmed. The day will come when I give a signal for you to take a shot at 'im. You're not to 'it 'im, I'll play 'ero again to really earn 'is trust. Apart from this new restriction, continue with all other missions.'  
"Acknowledged Hunter. Knight out."

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

The days ticked past slowly without a lot of change in Hochstetter's condition. Hunter kept to his promise and never strayed far, tending to the wounded Major with such gentle hands and doing all he could to keep the wounded man comfortable. When his friends dropped by for their scheduled meetings, they were impressed by the dedication shown and again questioned his motives but Andrew just grinned and promised he'd explain his plan once it was in full swing. Until that point, he didn't want to raise hopes or start a riot so he kept the plan a tightly guarded secret, refusing to even confide in Newkirk.

On the fourth day, as Hunter was busy dabbing a little antiseptic on his split lip, Hochstetter mumbled something indistinctive and slowly opened his eyes, not yet realising what was going on.  
'Easy Major, you're in safe 'ands. Just rest, you're at Stalag 13.' Hunter soothed, putting the jar in his hand aside and lightly touching his good shoulder in support. 'Stay still, you took a dreadful beating.'  
'I remember. Who are you?' Hochstetter replied, trying to focus on Hunter through two still quite impressive black eyes.  
'Corporal Andrew 'unter, RAF.'  
'What?'  
'I was trying to escape when I found you in the forest. Instead of getting sent to the cooler, Colonel Klink ordered that me punishment be nursing you back to 'ealth. Doctor Konschegg 'ad a 'and in that I think.'  
'You gave up your escape for me…why?'  
'Guess I'm just too compassionate to leave a wounded man in the woods at night. I 'ad to do the right thing, one 'uman to another.'  
'So much for Klink's perfect record.'  
'Unsuccessful attempts don't count. I came back, so 'is record stands.'  
'Have they caught the people responsible?'  
'I don't know, I'm just a prisoner Major. I will ask LeBeau when he comes to visit a bit later.'  
'LeBeau? Isn't he another prisoner?'  
'That's right, a Frenchman. Colonel Klink authorised a daily visit from me mates so they can be certain I won't defect. You can understand their concern, surely. A RAF Corporal alone with a Gestapo Major, a big worry for them all.'  
'You have nothing of interest to even be considered a defector.'  
'So true Major, but me mates do worry. I would consider asking Colonel Klink to reduce the visits but it's the only contact I get with me mates for the time being.'  
'I do not understand.'  
'I've got me orders. I'm to stay right 'ere and tend to you until you are fit to return to duty. Once Doctor Konschegg clears you for duty, I can go back to being another POW.'  
'So you want me out of here immediately.'  
'I didn't say that Major. Think about it, while you're in 'ere, the sniper that seems to always be around this camp can't get at you. I don't mind the solitude either, at least I don't 'ave to listen to me mates snoring all night.'

Nodding slowly, Hochstetter shifted before Hunter could warn him against it and paled as his dislocated right shoulder shifted painfully. Swallowing a cry of pain, he groaned and writhed on the bed, in absolute agony. Grabbing a vial and a syringe off the table, Andrew calmly drew up a dose of painkillers and returned to his side, brushing up the sleeve of the nightshirt he was wearing and got the modern drugs into his system. Setting the syringe on the bedside table, he gently guided Hochstetter back into the most comfortable position and calmed him again.  
'Just breathe Major, you're okay. Shhh, just relax, I'll take care of you. There we go, just relax again.' Andrew whispered, smoothing out the blankets and calming him as the painkillers went to work.  
'What happened?'  
'Whoever assaulted you dislocated your shoulder. It's going to be very sore for quite some time.'  
'I got that impression.'  
'Try and get back to sleep, you'll feel better after another nap.'  
'I'd rather something to eat.'  
'Of course. I'll go see what LeBeau's left in the kitchen. Rest, I won't be long.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Feeling more confident as the days ticked by, Andrew knew he'd have to pick his moment carefully to start asking for favours but right now Hochstetter was too busy focusing on his recovery to even think about anything else.  
'How are you doing in there Major?' he called, knocking once on the bathroom door.  
'Almost done.'  
'All right. Lunch is ready when you are.'  
'Thank you, Corporal.'  
'So how's your charge coming along?' Hogan asked, relaxing on the couch and watching Hunter bustle around the room.  
''e's recovering well, but it's going to be a long road. Dislocated shoulders can take months to 'eal properly but the rest of it shouldn't take more than another few…' whirling around when he heard a thump and a groan, Hunter took off into the bathroom to investigate.

Keeping the embarrassment to a minimum, Hunter calmly helped Hochstetter up from where he'd slipped and fallen, perching him safely on the edge of the tub as he gently checked his shoulder was still in position.  
'This ain't gonna be pleasant Major, I'll give you fair warning.' Andrew sighed, trying to be gentle but every touch still hurt badly.  
'Just get it over with.'  
'All right, here we go.' Andrew nodded, applying just enough force to pop the joint back into alignment. Hochstetter swayed and nearly fell again as a fresh wave of pain rippled over his mind but Andrew was ready and stabilised him with a gentle hand on the other shoulder, pulling the Major gently back against his chest.  
'Thank you again.' Hochstetter uttered, trying not to think of how awkward this situation was.  
'You finish getting ready and I'll come back to 'elp with your brace.' Hunter grinned, double-checking Hochstetter was stable before leaving him to get dressed and comb his hair.

Hogan seemed surprised by how far Hunter was going for this mission but he didn't say anything as the younger man calmly went back to setting the table for a casual lunch.  
'Now, what were you saying Andrew?' Hogan asked, getting back to their conversation.  
'I estimate a few weeks for most of the injuries to 'eal up. It all depends on that shoulder of 'is.'  
'Anything you can do to speed up the process?'  
'Not a chance. Dislocations take time to 'eal, there's no way to speed that process. All we can do is support the shoulder and 'ope 'e doesn't knock it out of place too many times.'  
'Corporal Hunter, I'm ready.'  
'Coming Major.'

Entering the bathroom again, Andrew picked up the metal and leather brace, carefully fitting it and pulling the straps firm to keep the shoulder immobilised in the most comfortable position. Checking the padding was sitting properly, Andrew lifted the dressing gown from the hook on the back of the door and helped the Major into it before picking up the spare brush on the vanity and doing a quick touch up.  
'There you go, all cleaned up and looking more alive than you 'ave since arriving.'  
'Most amusing Corporal.'  
'I meant no disrespect Major.'  
'None taken, I assure you Corporal.'  
'Ready for lunch?'  
'By all means.'

Wisely keeping his mouth shut when Hochstetter wandered out of the bathroom, Hogan stood and waited until Hochstetter was seated before following Hunter into the kitchen.  
'You still haven't told us your plans for Hochstetter. Come on Hunter, spill.'  
'Not yet Colonel, just be patient. Wait for it and you'll get a good surprise.'  
'I hope you know what you're doing.'  
'Trust me, I know what I'm doing.'  
'All right. I'll leave you to your lunch.' Hogan nodded, turning and leaving the guest quarters.

Looking at the simple meal on offer, Andrew briefly considered if it was properly cut to be easy for Hochstetter to handle with his left hand alone. Picking up a spare fork, he ran a few basic tests on the offered meal. Satisfied that the food was appropriately cut and dished, he picked up the bowls and headed back out to join Hochstetter.  
'What do we have for lunch today?' he asked, catching scent of the meal on offer.  
'I'm not sure what to call it, Major.' Andrew shrugged, putting the bowls down and pouring a suitable wine. 'It's just meat and fresh veggies, the Mess Sergeant provided the ingredients.'  
'It smells very good.'  
'LeBeau also pitched in with some ingredients. I'm not much of a cook but I'm trying. Go ahead, enjoy.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Week three of Hochstetter's recovery heralded in a series of changes in the uptight Major. He was opening up more, putting his trust in Andrew and welcoming the gentle friendship that was growing between them. Andrew didn't push for more than Hochstetter was willing to give, choosing to accept the trust coming his way and ask for nothing in reply just yet.  
'Do you fear me or my reputation, Andrew?' Hochstetter asked, staying still as Hunter carefully removed the stitches from his lower back.  
'Everyone fears the Gestapo, only a fool says otherwise. As for you personally, Major, it's 'ard to fear a man you've seen at the lowest moment of 'is life so far. After this, I 'ighly doubt I'll ever fear you or your reputation again.' Andrew replied, yanking another suture free and adding it to the dish on the bedside table.  
'That's about what I thought.'  
'What's got you down, Major?'  
'How can I be expected to maintain my reputation and control of this sector if I can no longer intimidate a single RAF Corporal?'  
'No one else will know that you don't scare me anymore. It'll be our little secret, Major.'  
'Thank you Andrew. That's something else that's bothering me. You're quite fine with me calling you by your given name but you won't return the offer so freely. Why is that?'  
'Respect for your 'igher position…wariness of someone who could 'ave me shot without a trial…not wanting to get too friendly with an enemy soldier…maybe even because I simply don't know your name.'

Caught out by Andrew's blunt answer, Hochstetter had to let the words settle into his mind for a few minutes before he realised his little mistake. It was easy to get access to prisoner records, he knew the basics about a lot of different prisoners. But the prisoners had no such records, they only knew what they were allowed to know and when it came to the Gestapo, they weren't allowed to know much.  
'But if you did know, would you?'  
'If that's what you'd like, of course I would.'  
'Friendship is such a new adventure. Wolfgang, you may call me Wolfgang.'  
'Wolfgang 'ochstetter…it's got a certain ring to it, my friend.'  
'Thank you Andrew… I never thought I'd have a close friend I felt I could trust like I feel I can trust you. That's probably a mistake but I cannot help myself.'  
'Wolfgang, humans are not designed to live solitary lives. We crave friendship and human contact. There's nothing wrong with reaching out through the fog of loneliness to find that one person you can trust. Ours is an unlikely friendship, true, but I don't care what others might think. We'll keep this just between us for the sake of your position though.'  
'Such wise words. Oww, that's no suture.'  
'I've got the thread but it's stuck. Sorry about this but it's got to be done. Steady Wolfgang, I've just about got it loose.'  
'Yeow! Tell me you got it out.'  
'Yep, I got that one. Only three more to go.'  
'Gott sei dank, du bist bringt mich hier.' Hochstetter uttered, burying his face in the pillow again.  
'Aufhören zu jammern Hochstetter.'  
'Sprechen Sie Deutsch?'  
'Nur ein wenig, ich musste einige lernen, wenn ich im Begriff war, um es nach Hause.' Andrew smirked, enjoying the chance to flex his German abilities. 'Cor, I'm a little out of practise.'  
'Your German is good, very convincing. I'm going to have to keep an eye on you.'  
'Relax Wolfgang, I'm not going anywhere. Between you and Newkirk, I've got a lifetime of reasons to stick around and expand on this friendship. Not that I'd argue with the occasional visit but we'd 'ave to be careful not to blow our secret.'  
'I'm sure we can work something out, Andrew.'

Smoothing the clean dressing into place, Andrew picked up the bowl of removed sutures and carried them to the stove to incinerate the medical waste as Wolfgang slowly sat up and worked into the loose shirt he'd requisitioned until his wounds healed enough for his uniform to be comfortable again.  
'Another few days and you should be right to step outside and stretch your legs.' Andrew grinned, pouring them both a brandy and settling on the couch.  
'I can be patient. I'd rather wait until my own uniform is comfortable again.' Wolfgang shrugged, relaxing beside Andrew and sipping his brandy contentedly.  
'Speaking of uniforms, yours is finally cleaned properly. It took a while to get the bigger bloodstains out but it's done at last.' Andrew nodded, getting up and retrieving the uniform from where he'd left it.  
'Danke Andrew, most considerate of you.'  
'It's all part of the service Wolfgang.' Andrew smirked, hanging the uniform up neatly in the bedroom and returning to the couch.

Glasses clinking, the new friends propped their feet up on the table and relaxed, not really worried about anyone coming to visit with them. For the first time in many years, Wolfgang didn't care if he looked like he'd been spending his evening in the local hofbrau, he was happy to sit with his borrowed shirt open and some of his many fading bruises on show for anyone who might have walked in. Andrew had carefully recorded each and every bruise, making detailed lists of all of them so they had a record in case someone else took such a serious beating. Without complaint, Andrew had handwritten everything in triplicate, one copy for the medical file, one for Wolfgang and one for Andrew's personal files.  
'Anybody 'ome?' someone called, knocking sharply on the door.  
'Come in Newkirk, it's all right.' Andrew nodded, holding Wolfgang's brandy while he did up his shirt but still bruises showed.  
'Afternoon Andrew, Major 'ochstetter.' Newkirk greeted, removing his cap as he wandered into the main room.  
'Guten tag Corporal Newkirk.' Hochstetter replied, waving Newkirk to the empty chair nearby. 'Brandy?'  
'That would be lovely.'  
'Go right ahead, the bottle is right there.' Andrew shrugged, indicating the bottle on the table before digging out a cigarette.  
'So, when can we expect you back in the barracks, mate?' Peter asked, getting up and pouring a drink.  
'It's not up to me Peter, whenever Major 'ochstetter is ready to leave and gets a final clearance from Doctor Konschegg, I can come back to the barracks. Until then, I'm staying 'ere as ordered.'  
'Andrew, are you sure you're not thinking of defecting.'  
'I swear Newkirk, if you weren't me best mate, I'd smack you in the mouth for that. Might not 'ave a family back in England anymore but I ain't a traitor. I'm just following orders, no ulterior motive.'  
'Defectors are people of value, scientists and experts in various fields. A RAF Corporal would not even be considered.' Hochstetter agreed, sipping his brandy and trying to relax again.  
'You really don't 'ave to worry Peter, I ain't going anywhere.'  
'I sure 'ope not Andrew. Me sister Mavis is eager to 'ear from you.'  
'I'll write 'er later Peter, promise.'  
'Newkirk, please. You're going to get me in big trouble if you don't get back to the barracks.' Schultz worried, standing just inside the door and looking nervous.  
'All right Schultzie, I'm just leaving.' Newkirk nodded, finishing his brandy and standing. 'Some big shot is arriving soon, Klink wants everyone out of sight.'  
'Then you'd better get moving, before 'e puts you in the cooler. I'll be fine, don't worry.'  
'I'll come back later then. Get well soon Major.'  
'Danke Corporal Newkirk.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

The last bruises faded away to nothing and scars started to fade too but still Wolfgang wasn't ready to leave. He was still a little jumpy and his shoulder was taking longer to settle than expected. That wasn't about to stop him though, he donned his uniform and fumbled his shoelaces until Andrew knelt and laced them up for him.  
'Ready to go?' Andrew asked, rocking back to his feet and shouldering into his jacket.  
'More than ready. Six weeks cooped up in here, I need to get out and take a walk.' Wolfgang nodded, stretching out his injured shoulder to take his cap and settle it on his head.  
'By all means, I'll be right at your side Wolfgang.' Andrew nodded, straightening his cap and following Wolfgang outside.

Relaxed and settled as they wandered around camp, Andrew was content to stick at Wolfgang's left side, staying between his friend and the fence so he got the proper warning about the sniper. Then he saw it, a single mirror flash from one of the nests set up in the trees. Grabbing Wolfgang around the shoulders, Andrew took them both to the ground as a single shot slammed into the ground not two feet from where they'd been standing.  
'Are you okay Wolfgang?' Andrew uttered, lifting his head slowly and sitting up.  
'I think so. How did you know that sniper was still around?' Wolfgang nodded, allowing Andrew to help him to his feet.  
'I didn't. I saw something in the woods and didn't like it.' Andrew shrugged, brushing the dirt off Wolfgang's back quickly.  
'Thank you again Andrew.' Wolfgang sighed, picking up his cap and dusting it off.  
'That's what friends are for.' Andrew winked, stooping to grab his own cap as Klink hustled over to them.  
'Major Hochstetter, are you all right?'  
'I am fine Klink. The sniper missed this time.'  
'After the weeks of effort I put in, I couldn't let 'im win this time.' Andrew shrugged, sending another signal to Aloysius to get him out of sight. ''ow's the shoulder, Major?'  
'Out again.' Hochstetter groaned, supporting his right shoulder gently as it throbbed painfully.  
'All right, 'old still.' Andrew nodded, bracing Hochstetter against his chest and firmly yanking his shoulder back into place. Shifting his grip quickly, he held the Major on his feet as the nauseating pain washed over him and settled back to the dull ache he was used to. Relaxing his grip, Andrew stepped back but he stuck close just in case Hochstetter stumbled again.  
'I think I will return to bed.' Hochstetter uttered, still clutching his shoulder and wishing the world would stop spinning past his eyes.  
'Whoa, steady Major.' Hunter warned, lunging and grabbing Hochstetter before he hit the ground again. 'Come on, lean on me and we'll get you back to bed.'  
'Klink, go away.' Hochstetter growled, managing a half-hearted glare at the Commandant.  
'Yes Major, I'll go away.' Klink nodded, proving that Hochstetter still had his intimidation ability as he left for his office.

One arm wrapped around Wolfgang's back and the other braced against his left shoulder to keep him upright, Andrew guided his new friend safely back to his quarters. Gathering up his uniform as Wolfgang changed back into his temporary sleepwear, Andrew made sure he was comfortable and smoothed out the blanket before hanging up the crisp black uniform neatly.  
'I do still wonder why you are so dedicated to my wellbeing Andrew. I keep getting the feeling that you do have an ulterior motive.'  
'Wolfgang, I don't 'ave any ulterior motives, at least nothing really planned out. But if I get something apart from a friend for me efforts, it's an added bonus.'  
'Perhaps we can work out something beneficial to us both.'  
'Just don't ask me to 'and me mates over if they break the rules. I've got to 'ave some 'onour left.'  
'I would never dream of asking for such things Andrew. However, if I were to ask you to hide something for me, would you?'  
'Yeah, I could 'andle that sort of thing Wolfgang. It couldn't be anything too big, but I'd 'ave a good go at 'iding something for you.'  
'I will remember that Andrew. But for now, I need to sleep off this nausea.'  
'Rest my friend, I'll keep watch. If you need anything, just call.'  
'I will Andrew.' Wolfgang nodded, snuggling down and drifting to sleep peacefully.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Finally, after three months recovery and plenty of physical therapy, Wolfgang felt ready to get back to work. With his medical reports signed off and his uniform pressed to perfection, he slipped on a light brace Andrew had sewn from some requisitioned long underwear to create a warming, supporting nest to keep his shoulder in alignment and safe against light bumps causing another minor dislocation. The brace was carefully made to fit under his uniform without being overly noticeable and gave him pretty much complete freedom of movement while still offering total support.

Out in the main room, Andrew was just finishing up polishing Wolfgang's medals and buttons when he emerged from the bedroom, looking just like the feared Gestapo officer everyone knew. Getting to his feet, Andrew calmly helped Wolfgang into his jacket and picked up his hat, polishing the insignia quickly.  
'Who would 'ave thought that spending three months at a POW camp would do you good.' Andrew teased, straightening the jacket collar quickly as Wolfgang secured his belt.  
'Perhaps that had something to do with finding a good friend.'  
'I'll be 'ere if you ever need a friend again. Just promise me one thing.'  
'Name it Andrew.'  
'Be careful out there. You're a good friend, I'd 'ate to lose you.'  
'I will Andrew, don't worry. I just wish I could be so confident about that sniper.'  
'I 'ave a feeling 'e won't find you such a good target anymore. Don't ask 'ow I know, I just do Wolfgang.'  
'I'll buy that Andrew.' Wolfgang nodded, accepting his cap and settling it into position. 'Shall we?'  
'By all means, Major.' Andrew agreed, grabbing his greatcoat and kitbag from beside the door.

Pulling the door behind them, Andrew knew the dynamic had changed again but this time he wasn't worried about losing his advantage. He had Hochstetter right where he needed him and intended to press their friendship.  
'Considering I said I'd 'ide stuff for you if needed, I think I should get something back.' Hunter mused, keeping his voice low and his head down so no one else picked up on the conversation.  
'Whatever you require, ask and I'll do what I can. Do try to remember my position though and don't ask for anything that could get us both into trouble.'  
'Wouldn't dream of it Wolfgang. But next time you make a trip to Stalag 13, 'ow about a nice bottle of brandy for old times sake.'  
'It's a deal. I might even bring you some decent cigars.'  
'Now that would be a treat.'

Stopping by the waiting car, both men knew they would only be better for their friendship but they had to keep it under wraps to avoid suspicion and possible firing squads.  
''ave a safe trip Major.' Andrew offered, extending his hand respectfully.  
'Thank you again for your assistance during this time Corporal.' Wolfgang replied, shaking his hand before getting in the car and leaving camp before Klink could realise he was leaving.  
'So you're finally moving back in with us.' Newkirk remarked, wandering over to his old friend.  
'It'll be a nice change. The soft living wasn't doing me any good.'  
'It's good to 'ave you back Andrew.'


	25. Preparing For Liberation

Down in the depths of the tunnels, Emily and Aloysius stood alone in one of their many military caches under the camp, admiring the weaponry they'd collected in readiness for the big push they were planning in secret. All around them stood racks of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles, MP 40 sub-machine guns and Luger P08 pistols, everything cleaned and ready for action. They also had three MG 34 machine guns, thanks to some handy thieving work from the guard towers. Another of their caches held ammunition crates, providing them with enough ammunition to practically open up another front to the war. Although separating the two caches meant it took longer to get a weapon and load it for combat, it did prevent the risk of explosions in the tunnels.

Draping the covers back over their stolen weapons, they left the weapons cache and wandered down the tunnels towards a far more exciting cache.  
'You know Emily; you've never actually explained what all this is for.' Aloysius mused, indicating the pilfered German helmets piled up in another cache.  
'You think I'm going to sit around and wait for the Americans to get to us? I'll pick my moment and liberate this camp from the inside.' Emily shrugged, pausing the check the grenade belt cache.  
'Liberate Stalag 13 from the inside? Have you completely lost your mind Emily?' Aloysius gaped, stunned by what he was hearing. 'I know you always go for the suicide missions but how do you intend to take this camp alone?'  
'I don't have any intention of doing it alone. There are 80 guards for this camp and 250 odd prisoners. I intend to arm the prisoners and lead the assault.'  
'Have you run the idea past Hogan?'  
'I will, tomorrow. Today I'm just doing a final tidy up and making a list of everything cached down here. Tomorrow I'll present the list and take him on a tour of what we've got.'  
'You are insane Emily. Hogan will never go for it.'  
'He might just surprise you Aloysius. I know we agreed to never let slip about the horrors in the waning years of the war but you and I know both know how much Hogan cares for his men. We don't have to say much, just warn him that by the time the Americans arrive, we will have gone without any real food for several months at least.'  
'It's your call Emily, if you want to risk it go ahead. I'll back you up.'  
'Thanks Aloysius, I'll need your support to convince everyone.'  
'I'll help where I can Emily.'

Wandering further into the tunnel network, Emily paused and smiled as she entered her private workshop. Here were the projects that no one else knew about, handmade weapons and tools to ensure victory for the liberators. She'd already created mines for the roads and several smaller charges to plant around in chokepoints to keep the guards from creating a suitable defence. And on the table sat her greatest creation, a mortar for dealing with the guard towers. The intention wasn't to destroy the towers, merely scare the guards out of them and gain a new defensive line. She'd also crafted shells for her mortar, each one lovingly handcrafted and tested for the fit.  
'I still can't believe you built this thing Emily.'  
'It wasn't that hard to make Aloysius, it just took a little lateral thinking.'  
'I had no idea you were a weapon smith.'  
'I'm not really, I just tinker with ideas. I know how a mortar works so I thought I'd have a go at making one.'  
'It's a clever idea, provided it works.'  
'It'll work Aloysius, I've already tested it. I used an unloaded shell to make a few test drops. Not sure how the height will go but distance and accuracy is good.'  
'I'm impressed Emily, very impressed.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Looking around nervously, Wolfgang crouched in the woods not too far from Stalag 13 and waited for Andrew to find him. He knew what he was doing was absolutely insane but the documents he was carrying needed to be hidden away where no one would find them and use them to get him shot. Then he heard it, crickets chirping in sequence. Pulling out his own cricket, he returned the signal and waited tensely until Andrew got to his location. Emerging from the undergrowth, Andrew grinned and tipped his hat back, enjoying the look of shock on Wolfgang's face.  
'Don't ask where the uniform came from, the less you know the better.' Andrew warned, crouching in the undergrowth and grinning.  
'Very well. Are you sure about hiding these documents? No one can know where they are, it would be worth my life if they were discovered anywhere.' Wolfgang nodded, crouching and holding out a black briefcase.  
'Whoa, that's some big secret you want to disappear. You can trust me Wolfgang, I'll put these in a place no one will ever find and guard them with everything I 'ave. They will be safe until you want them back.'  
'They must never be found Andrew, not even by me if I have to tear Stalag 13 apart to find escaped prisoners. Make sure they disappear and can never surface again.'  
'I will Wolfgang, 'ave faith in me abilities. Be honest with me though, do you want them back or do you want them to truly vanish?'  
'I don't know Andrew. The information these documents contain is very personal and highly dangerous but it also contains some good memories. Just make them vanish; I might want them back one day.'  
'Alright, I'll 'andle it. You'll never see this briefcase again until you're ready to ask for it back.'  
'Thank you Andrew. Here, a little something for your trouble.' Wolfgang nodded, nudging a small cardboard box closer.  
'Now you really are spoiling me Wolfgang.' Andrew grinned, opening the box and gazing at the brandy and cigars waiting for him.  
'A good friend is worth the expense. I have to get back to Hammelburg, make sure that briefcase disappears properly.'  
'Relax Wolfgang; I'll take care of it. No one will know anything about this.'

Tucking the briefcase inside his greatcoat, Andrew stood and tucked his treat box under his arm before tipping his hat forward again and turning for camp again.  
'Be safe Wolfgang, we'll talk again later.' he nodded, reaching into his greatcoat to secure the briefcase to his tunic so it couldn't fall out.  
'I'll contact you the same way if I find more documents to hide.' Wolfgang replied, getting to his feet and brushing off his uniform.  
'It's a deal Wolfgang. Auf weidersehen.'  
'Auf weidersehen Andrew.' Hochstetter sighed, turning and heading back towards his car as Andrew made his way back to camp.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Gestapo uniform neatly hung up and treats stockpiled for another day, Emily looked at the briefcase in her hands for a moment, debating whether or not she should open it. Wolfgang trusted Andrew so much but Andrew wasn't Emily and vice versa. On the other hand, knowing the secret Wolfgang was so determined to hide would make it easier to think of the best place to hide it away.  
'And just where have you been Emily?' Hogan asked, clearly unimpressed with her behaviour as he walked down the tunnel.  
'Remember when Hochstetter last came to camp, he took me aside for interrogation?'  
'I remember. What of it?'  
'He was actually arranging a meeting for tonight, in the woods just outside of camp.'  
'And you went? What were you thinking?'  
'He's scared Hogan, something's got him spooked. I don't know what he's so nervous but he gave me this briefcase to hide on his behalf. The secrets contained within are deadly. He'd be killed if they're discovered.'  
'And just what is this big secret he's asked you to protect?'  
'I don't know, I didn't ask him. I'm not sure I should open it either, the trust is obviously deep and real to him.'  
'How can you be certain he isn't just using this as a way to find the tunnels?'  
'I've already run it through the detection unit and I've put a jammer on it just in case.'  
'You need to make a decision Emily and you need to make it now. Open the case and be certain or risk the operation on a hunch.'

Mentally apologising for the breach of trust, Emily released the clip and flipped the case open, flicking through the papers neatly tucked inside for any hints of the secret. She was aware of Hogan moving closer and snapped the case shut before standing and moving away from him again. Sitting in a suitable corner, she went back to searching the papers and frowned, not seeing anything so secretive. Going back through it again, she started to see the situation in a new light. Instead of looking for an obvious secret, she started to look for damaging words. Then it jumped out and smacked her in the face with all the subtlety of a Panzer.  
'Oh my god. No wonder you want this hidden away Wolfgang.' she gasped, slamming the case closed and securing it.  
'Well, what's the big secret Emily?' Hogan asked, realising that she'd discovered Hochstetter's secret.  
'No, I won't break his confidence. This is the sort of secret that must not be shared with anyone.'  
'How can you be certain of the dangers of this secret? This isn't your correct timeline.'  
'I know enough about history to be absolutely certain that this secret can only be faithfully held by someone with my understanding of the future. At this point, I am the only one with the appropriate understanding for the secret.'  
'And how can you know that?'  
'Because I know what people like Wolfgang have suffered over the years. At the moment he's in danger every day, constantly at risk of being discovered. When I come from, he'd be free to be the man he is without fear of retribution. You've shown no fear of trusting my lead so far, all I ask is that you give me this chance to protect another from an ugly fate.'  
'Why do you even care about what happens to him? He's Gestapo and a kraut, reason enough not to trust him.'  
'Sit down Hogan, let me tell you a story. I don't expect you to care or see my reasoning for this but I think you need to know.' Emily sighed, keeping the briefcase tucked close as Hogan took a seat beside her.

Listening as Emily told him the story of Germany's future with obvious distaste and disappointment, Hogan didn't know what to think of the horrors unfolding before him in humourless tones. Speaking of the rape and murder, forced marches and starvation and the eventual division of Germany, the story only became bleaker and more foreboding the deeper into the story they went. Then Emily calmly turned the story to a more personal angle, using her knowledge to show Hogan what some of their German captors would face after the war. Face turned away as if to deny the horrors she spoke of, Emily wove a dark and frightening tale of suffering and anguish, a nation destroyed for years to come and the loss of hope for an entire nationality. She spoke of the Berlin Wall and the heavy-handed treatment the Russians punished the Germans with.

Finally she was finished and wiped a tear from her eyes before turning to regard Hogan again. He was staring blankly at his hands, tears falling silently as he tried to absorb the massive rush of information she'd given him.  
'Now do you understand why I can't just walk away from Hochstetter? He's going to need someone to help him survive.' she uttered, reaching out to squeeze Hogan's shoulder lightly.  
'I had no idea Emily, no clue what the end game would be. We have to do something to change that story.'  
'We can't Hogan, don't you understand that. We do one thing to change history and the consequences could be huge. One change here could see the future I know obliterated. A single word uttered and the krauts might win the war. I know it's hard to accept and deal with but we must guard the secrets of the future at all costs. Many times during the last three years, I've had to make hard decisions and keep my mouth shut so I didn't blow the future. Five times I've had to crush my desire to trek to Berlin and blow Hitler's brains out personally but I've got to wait for him to do it personally. Promise me you won't blow my true timeline Robert, swear that you'll guard the future as I've done faultlessly since arriving here.' Emily begged, swinging around to grasp his hands and gaze into his eyes.  
'I have to keep my men safe Emily, I have to think of their survival. Keeping the secret of the future could cost them their lives. I can't let that happen, not if I have the power to change it.'  
'I understand that Robert but let me be the one to take the risks, please. I've only given you but a glimpse of the future, I know more but for the safety of the timeline, I won't tell. Peter won't like it but I'm the best one to take these insane risks. You understand, don't you?'  
'All right, I'll leave it in your hands Emily. It's nice to have someone else to lean on when I'm not sure what to do. I'm glad to know that I've got someone, like everyone else has. Leadership is a lonely position.'  
'If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, I'll be around. Whatever happens, I'll take care of the team. You can believe in me Robert, always. Don't forget that.'  
'Thank you Emily, for everything. Now, I believe you have some top secret papers to hide away somewhere.'  
'Yeah, secret papers that can never be rediscovered. I can't destroy them so I've got a real challenge.'  
'I'll leave you to it Emily but don't take too long. The midnight bed check is due in a few hours.'  
'I've got just the place. I won't be long at all.' Emily nodded, watching Hogan walk away before running in the other direction.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hurrying back from another mission, Carter and Newkirk changed quickly and headed up to join the rest of the team, bearing with them more than just the troop movement intelligence they'd been sent to retrieve. They got through the mission debrief quickly enough but when it came to the other bit of info they'd picked up, neither man was sure how to open the topic.  
'Sir, we learned something else at the hofbrau.' Carter blurted, glancing at Newkirk nervously.  
'And what was that Carter?' Hogan asked, turning back to the pair.  
'Well Sir, we overheard a conversation between a couple of Gestapo goons. They were talking about some trouble in the local Gestapo.' Newkirk added, wondering if they really should be worrying about the Gestapo rumours.  
'Did they happen to mention what sort of trouble?'  
'They sure did. Apparently a big shot in this area has been found to be homosexual.' Carter nodded, courage growing as he unloaded the information onto Hogan's shoulders.

Sagging back onto his bunk, Hunter shivered in fear, remembering the documents he'd looked at in the hidden briefcase. He needed to do something but there was nothing he could do at this point of time. He was vaguely listening to the continuing conversation but for the most he was numb inside, terrified that he was going to lose a friend.  
'Did you by any chance hear who is in trouble?'  
'No Sir, they didn't seem to know themselves. 'E's someone fairly 'igh, judging by the way they were talking about 'im.'  
'I know who it is.' Hunter uttered, lifting his head slowly as a lone tear slid down his cheek. 'I can't tell you though, 'e swore me to secrecy. Colonel, request permission to try and save a life.'  
'Request denied Hunter. Schultz will be here for the midnight bed check soon.'  
'But Sir, I owe 'im that…'  
'I understand Hunter, really I do. I'm afraid I just can't allow you to leave in the middle of the night. They might already have him in custody. It's not worth the risk.'  
'It is worth a risk Colonel, you know damn well why.' Hunter stormed, opening the bunk and disappearing below.  
'Hunter, get back here.' Hogan ordered, racing after his wild Corporal.

Racing down the tunnels, Hunter swung into one of the offshoot rooms and picked up the modern radio waiting for him. Fingers crossed that Wolfgang was still wearing the small radio unit he'd given the older man, Hunter opened a channel.  
'Wolfgang, can you 'ear me? Wolfgang, wake up. Come on Wolfgang, I need to talk to you desperately.'  
"Mmmm…Andrew?"  
'Wake up Wolfgang, this is important.'  
"It's the middle of the night Andrew. What's going on?"  
'There's a rumour flying around 'ammelburg. The Gestapo are 'unting for someone.'  
"I know, I heard the rumour too. I can do nothing now, I'm being watched."  
'It's you, isn't it? You're the one they're looking for?'  
"How did you know?"  
'It's too much of a coincidence. The secret briefcase you asked me to 'ide last night and now this.'  
"What do I do Andrew? I don't know where to turn anymore. Help me, please."  
'Any chance Klink knows about this?'  
"No, I don't think so. What's he got to do with anything?"  
'Tomorrow, make the trip out to Stalag 13. When you arrive, we'll be ready. You're going to disappear.'  
"Danke Andrew, I don't know how to repay you."  
'You don't have to Wolfgang, I'm doing the right thing. Pack light and dress warm tomorrow, then leave the rest to me, I'll take care of you and see you safely disappear.'  
"I will be there early. It will take some fast talking but I'll make it work."  
'We'll be waiting for you. Tomorrow you will be safe, I promise you.'  
"Good night Andrew."  
'Be strong Wolfgang, we'll take care of you. I've got to go.'  
"Until tomorrow."

Cutting the radio connection, Hunter turned back to Hogan and swallowed nervously, just waiting for the fireworks to begin for daring to overstep his position.  
'Are you absolutely sure about doing this Emily?' Hogan asked, surprisingly calm about the situation.  
'In the grand scheme, Hochstetter is a small fish. We should be safe to ensure his survival.'  
'That's good enough for me, Emily. So what's the plan?'  
'Someone takes his car to the motor pool where a team is waiting to strip it of anything identifying. Meanwhile, I'll get Wolfgang to follow me into the barracks. We'll hide him in the tunnels until its safe to bring him out again.'  
'Why not send him straight to England once the heats off?'  
'I owe it to him to keep him close by. Give me another few weeks and we'll be ready to liberate this camp from the inside.'  
'Now what are you talking about Emily?'  
'It's simple Hogan. We have enough weaponry down here to arm every prisoner in this camp and take the camp by force. It will take careful leadership but we can make this camp ours and provide a few bonuses for the Americans when they finally get here.'  
'Like Hochstetter.'  
'No, not Wolfgang. He trusts Andrew, he'll have a fit if he's double crossed and that doesn't sit well with me Hogan. Anyone else that arrives in camp is fair game though, but only after we quietly liberate this camp. We can discuss the liberation plans later though. Right now we have to focus on saving Wolfgang.'  
'I'm leaving this operation in your hands Emily. I'll tell the guys you're in charge and then it's all yours. You know Hochstetter best.'  
'Thanks Hogan. I can make this work but it's not going to be easy. We're going to need diversions, a team in the motor pool and lookouts to keep Klink and Schultz from noticing anything.'  
'We'll handle it Emily.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Right after morning roll call, Hochstetter made his way into camp, pulling up beside the kommandantur and climbing out. His gaze immediately fell on Andrew, standing quietly in his place in the lines. Catching Wolfgang's eyes, Andrew nodded and grinned, the plan already in motion. Almost on cue, the fireworks Carter had set up outside the wire went off, drawing attention and sending Klink scrambling to organise his guards. Taking off behind Klink, the main team took their positions for the second phase of the operation. Sprinting over to the car, LeBeau shot in behind the wheel and started it up, heading towards the motor pool where Rufus, Baker and Carter were waiting to strip it of identifying details. Darting across the camp together, Andrew and Peter grabbed Wolfgang by the shoulders and hustled him out of sight, the fireworks whistling and banging overhead and stirring up the guards as Klink finally got them organised to head out. Adding to the confusion, Aloysius opened fire from one of his many nests, peppering the ground with bullets and generally adding to the confusion. The carefully scattered shock rocks also stirred up trouble, frightening Klink and giving the heroes a chance to get Hochstetter out of sight before Klink even knew what was going on.

Barging into the barracks, Andrew and Peter swapped a satisfied grin as they opened the bunk entrance and guided Wolfgang down to safety before joining him in the tunnels.  
'That's the way it's done. By the time Klink realises what's going on, 'e won't 'ave a clue where you vanished too.' Peter smirked, closing the tunnel entrance.  
'Thank you Andrew. I knew Hogan had a tunnel under the camp, how ironic that I've found it only once I can do nothing about it.'  
'Never mind Wolfgang, you're safe and that's what really matters. A room has been prepared for you, it's not much but it's the best we 'ave around 'ere.' Andrew shrugged, guiding the shaken German down the tunnels. 'Just relax now Wolfgang, no one has ever located these tunnels, you'll be perfectly safe until it's time to move on again.'  
'I do not deserve your friendship Andrew, thank you again. I never expected I would survive being caught out.' Wolfgang uttered, still clearly shaken by his close call.  
'Accidents 'appen, the important thing is that you survived. 'Ere we are, welcome to your new 'ome.' Andrew grinned, sweeping the curtain open to reveal a simple little room. A single bed, a small table and a chair made up the only furniture, along with three hooks attached to a board hanging on the wall.  
'One can hardly expect five star comfort in a prison camp.' Wolfgang smirked, hanging up his hat and greatcoat before removing his belt and pistol. Unbuttoning his long tunic, he slid it off and hung it up neatly, starting to get comfortable in his new home as he placed his briefcase on the desk.  
'I've spoken with our chef, LeBeau. 'E's agreed to provide you with three meals a day from our own meagre rations. We've got an outside man that brings extra food in every night so we supplement our rations with wild food fairly regularly. Once the 'eat's off, we might provide you with a different uniform and get you to 'elp with gathering food.' Andrew explained, leaning lightly against the wall with Peter.  
'That is fair, I'll do what I can to help in return for you saving my life. I suspected tunnels but this is so much more than I ever anticipated. I must thank Colonel Hogan for agreeing to this.'  
'Colonel 'ogan knows better than to debate with me when it comes to certain things.'  
'You must have given him a good argument for this Andrew, a Gestapo officer hidden in a POW tunnel, could be very dangerous.'  
'Nah, you stick your 'ead up and you'll get it blow off before you can tell anyone. Most people never see this but we're secure with taking the chance on you.'  
'Thank you for that reminder Andrew, I think not.'  
'Relax Wolfgang, we'll keep you safe. Just keep your head down and don't draw attention and you'll survive this war.'

Tugging off his boots, Wolfgang settled on the bunk and looked up at the two Corporals leaning against the wall casually. There was something off about them but he couldn't quite put his finger on the exact reason.  
'Everything settled?' Hogan called, stopping in the doorway and looking around. 'Make yourself at home Major.'  
'As much as this can be called home.'  
'Wolfgang, be fair. We're doing the best we can 'ere.' Andrew warned, keeping Peter from making a dangerous move.  
'I know Andrew, I just need some time. This is all so strange, I never thought I'd be the one hiding from the Gestapo. I do appreciate your assistance, I owe you my life.'  
'You can thank Hunter for that. Most of us were against the idea but he convinced us on the plan.' Hogan shrugged, hearing a noise and checking the tunnels. 'How'd it go in the motor pool?'  
'We got everything to link that car with our new guest. Getting the decals off the doors was the worst bit, but we got it done.' Rufus replied, a good sized cardboard box tucked under his arm as he poked his head in quickly. 'Morning Major.'  
'Pick your jaw up Wolfgang, we thought of everything. Is the rest of the team still working on that project?' Andrew grinned, satisfied with the way things were unfolding.  
'Yeah, I'm just heading to open the entrance so we can start phase two.'  
'Get busy Rufus, we need that car out of sight ASAP.' Hogan instructed, still quite amazed by Emily's audacity with her projects. 'I'll even give you a hand to move it.'  
'Thanks Colonel. Come on, let's get moving.' Rufus nodded, handing Hunter the box he was carrying and taking off down the tunnel. Rolling his eyes, Andrew knelt and shoved the box under Wolfgang's bunk before nudging Peter.  
'Go 'elp with the effort, I'll be right there. Just give me a moment to explain the project to Wolfgang and we'll follow.'  
'You've got it Andrew.' Peter nodded, turning and bolting down the tunnels.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Busy in the motor pool, Baker and Carter worked fast to disassemble the unmarked staff car, removing each piece and carrying it to LeBeau and Rufus, working near the tunnel entrance. Numbering each piece according to their plan, they handed the pieces down to the rest of the team for storage in the tunnels.  
'Now for the hard one. Rufus, we need some extra muscle.' Baker called, releasing the last bolts on the engine and worming out as Carter tightened the chains and lifted the engine into the grip on the A-frame.  
'LeBeau, get the second A-frame set up and tell Hogan what's coming.' Rufus nodded, jogging over to help with the engine move.

Getting a firm grip on the engine, Rufus, Carter and Baker muscled it over to the second A-frame and held it steady as LeBeau rigged up the chains again and started to lower it into the tunnel. Shifting the heavy-duty trolley a little as the engine descended, Newkirk and Hogan got it nested in an old tyre and strapped it down firmly before heaving it out of the way until they could start on phase three.  
'Hurry back, gearbox next.' LeBeau called, keeping A-frame in place as Rufus and Baker carried over the gearbox.  
'We've got it LeBeau. Whenever you're ready.' Hunter replied, dragging another trolley into place and looking up at the gearbox as it was mounted on the A-frame.  
'I didn't believe it possible but you really are pulling my car apart.' Hochstetter remarked, watching the graceful decent of the gearbox.  
'Spend enough time with us and you'll realise that we can do anything.' Hunter winked, guiding the gearbox in to land and strapping it down neatly before heaving it out of the way. 'Now it's your call if you want to 'elp or not, just don't get in the way.'  
'You saved my life, the least I can do is help hide my car.' Hochstetter nodded, reaching up to take the rear bumper from LeBeau and carrying it down to where the rest of the already cached parts were waiting.  
'This 'as got to be one of the stranger things we've 'idden down 'ere.' Newkirk remarked, heading back to collect another piece from above. 'But what are we gonna do with it now?'  
'Leave that to me Pete, I'll 'andle it. I'm more interested in knowing if phase four is ready to go.'  
'It's all under control Hunter. Mission starts at 2200 hours tonight.' Hogan confirmed, moving past to collect another piece.  
'We're right on schedule. Come tomorrow, the krauts are going to think you're dead Wolfgang, easing the pressure on you and giving you back your life.' Hunter grinned, quite pleased with how the plan was progressing.  
'Dead? But I thought…'  
'Don't panic, we've got it under control. It's not real, we're going to fake it so the Gestapo stop searching. I promise you, you're perfectly safe 'ere with us.' Newkirk soothed, guiding the rear axle around and handing one end to Wolfgang.  
'Steady now, seats coming down.' LeBeau warned, helping Rufus guide the rear seat down.

Back on ground level, Baker gathered the tires up and got busy prying the actual tyres off the rims for separate storage down below. As he got each one separated into the separate parts, Carter took both pieces and lugged them over to Rufus for marking and transfer. Dropping the tyres without too much concern, Rufus carefully lowered the rims to the waiting team, braced against the weight as the men below untied the rims and carried them to the cache.  
'There can't be too much left up there, right?' Hunter called, taking the last rim and looking up at the team above.  
'We should be done in another fifteen minutes.' LeBeau replied, feeding down a neatly tied bundle of cables and wires.  
'Let's pick it up a bit, Schultz is bound to be getting worried about us.' Hogan directed, catching a box of lights and hustling it away.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Quite satisfied with their work the previous night, Emily led Hogan into a different area of the tunnels to proudly show off the caches of military equipment she'd built up in readiness for the liberation. Awed by the sheer amount of weaponry on offer, Hogan didn't know what to say as he wandered among the racks of weaponry lined up for use.  
'There you are Hogan.' Aloysius panted, running into the cache and unslinging his rifle.  
'What is it Knight?' Hogan asked, turning to the taller man. 'You can't be seen down here, not until we know for sure where Hochstetter stands in relation to what he's learning.'  
'I know that but I had to report to you immediately. Black light.'  
'Black light…a casualty. Who Aloysius? Who died last night?' Hogan uttered, grasping Knight's shoulders lightly.  
'No one in this camp. Stalag 16. I was sniping there last night, like you suggested. Lost a ricochet in the darkness so I stayed near the camp to see what the morning revealed. I saw them carry the body out, a neat bullet hole in the left temple. Colonel Hogan, I regret to inform you that Colonel Crittendon perished last night.' Aloysius briefed, catching his breath and straightening.  
'Crittendon's dead? Aloysius, you've done this organisation a great favour. At least now we don't have to worry about him fouling up our plans. Well done Aloysius, you did what no one else could do, you got rid of Crittendon.' Hogan praised, glad it wasn't anything really serious to disturb his day.  
'You're not angry that I knocked off such a high ranker?'  
'Not at all, you did a good thing. Go get some rest Aloysius, but watch out. Hochstetter is making a home in the tunnels with us.'  
'I know, Emily gave me the brief. I'll stay away from him, but there aren't a lot of places to run down here.' Aloysius nodded, shouldering his rifle and wandering back to his bunk to get some much needed sleep.


	26. Liberation

As dawn broke over Stalag 13 on March 13th, 1945, the prisoners listened to their final briefings and checked their weapons one last time. They all knew the risks involved in this plan but for a shot at freedom and a trip home, they were willing to take the risk. Right in the middle of the group stood Emily, once again dressed in her well maintained hunting uniform, all her favoured weapons holstered in their standard places ready for action. Now that her identity was common knowledge, no one had any arguments about her leading the assault. After all, a woman who could survive three years disguised as a man in a POW camp in the middle of Germany was definitely tough enough to lead them. Making use of the full tunnel network, the plan was to simply be everywhere at once and force the guards to put down their weapons or die.  
'Just to make sure everyone knows what they're doing, sound off.' Emily directed, hands resting on her holstered pistols.  
'I take my team and we go mine all access roads to the camp to block reinforcements.' Carter replied, six handmade mines attached to pouches hanging from a spare belt around his waist.  
'We set up positions in the woods surrounding the camp to block any escape and fend off kraut attacks.' Baker added, MP 40 in his hands as he stood.  
'I lead the team through the kennel exit to start putting pressure on the south side of the camp.' LeBeau nodded, looking forward to his chance for payback.  
'My team takes up positions outside the wire and moves forward to crush the krauts into LeBeau's advance.' Aloysius grinned, eager for a proper fight like he'd enjoyed in the army.  
'We've got the rec hall entrance to turn against the east guards and block support to the kommandantur.' Hogan smirked, sold on the plan and looking forward to his freedom.  
'Stationed in Barracks 12, it's our job to deal with the west guards and drive any prisoners towards the middle of camp.' Rufus briefed, still a little wary of picking a fight like this but he was swept up in the excitement.  
'Emerging from Barracks Two, we sweep the centre of the compound and push to the north fence, securing the gates and forcing our prisoners back towards the cooler.' Newkirk finished, satisfied he had the plan down and could handle his part of the job.  
'Perfect, absolutely perfect. Any more questions?' Emily praised, wanting to get the men moving before they got restless.  
'Yeah, what are you going to be doing while we're doing all the hard work?' Baker asked, looking up at Emily, standing tall on her box.  
'That's simple. I'm going up through the tunnel in Klink's quarters to nab him before he realises what's going on. Once I've got him secure, I'll storm out to join the fire fight proper.' Emily grinned, jumping off her box and whistling. Barking and pushing through the men, Romus and Remus took up their places beside Emily, both wearing custom body armour and looking like they could do some serious damage to anyone they came up against.  
'What about Schultz?' Newkirk asked, not wanting to see the heavyset guard hurt in any of the chaos.  
'He won't be hard to grab. I'll force him into Klink's office until we're done.' Emily replied, totally confident in their plans. 'Anything else we haven't discussed? Then, let's get to work.' she nodded, taking off down the tunnel to get into position.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

On Emily's signal, the seven leaders gave the order and charged, flowing from their hideaways and opening fire. Trusted with the most important weapon in the arsenal, Hochstetter set up the mortar near the kommandantur and carefully aimed at the first target Emily had designated. Praying the weapon worked, he dropped the first shell in and ducked back as it was launched into the gap between the fences and detonated, carving a nice crater and blocking the route. 

Picking his targets carefully, he landed shells in close support of the allies fighting for liberty without doing too much structural damage. Even with the changing of the guards like this, the camp still had to be habitable until whoever was coming for them finally arrived.  
"Wolfgang, we need support near the kennels." LeBeau called, releasing the dogs to add to the fuss as they were forced to give ground to the guards emerging from their barracks.  
'Copy that LeBeau. Launching now.' he replied, launching two shells in quick succession into the guards before swinging his aim onto the barracks and dropping another through the roof.  
'Steady on the buildings Wolfgang, we need them intact.' Emily warned, vaulting from the kommandantur alone and opening fire.  
'I had to stop the guards reinforcing the position near LeBeau. They're in it neck deep over there.'  
'I'll give them some help. Concentrate on mortaring the outer areas, between the fences and out onto the road.'  
'Got it Emily.'

Out on the road, Carter and his team could hear the gunfire in the camp but stuck to their duties, chipping away at the road and hiding their mines carefully.  
'Sounds like the guys are really giving the krauts a hard time.' someone remarked, positioning another mine cover carefully.  
'With Emily leading, we can't fail. She's been planning this assault for months, if not years.'  
'I still can't believe she's letting a kraut wield the mortar though. He could wipe out our men with that thing.'  
'Wolfgang's trustworthy, he's been living under the camp for a month now. We saved him from death now he's trying to repay that debt.'  
'Do you really think he can be trusted with that though? He sees what's happening to his fellow krauts and he could turn.'  
'Nah, he knows what's at stake. You don't have to worry about Wolfgang turning against us.'  
'He's still a kraut.'  
'Yeah but we're the only ones who ain't gonna shoot him for being the kind of man he is.'  
'And what kind of a man is that?'  
'Inside, he's a dreamer with a gentle heart. He's no killer, he was only trying to survive.'  
'We'll see.'  
'Come on, less chatter and more working. We're almost done on this approach.' Carter sighed, placing the last of his mines and moving to get more from the caches buried along the roadsides.

Suddenly the gunfire died away, leaving everyone wondering as to what had happened. Then a single red flare soared over the camp, drawing everyone's attention as it drifted back to the ground. From out in the woods, a second flare went up, dazzling white in answer to the first. Jaw dropping, Carter stood and watched the second flare fall gracefully, unable to believe what he was seeing. Slowly more flares shot over the camp, each team leader reporting their location and acknowledging the victory. Unhooking the flare from his belt, Carter raised it high and fired, letting Emily know he was still alive and working hard to finish the mining.  
'So does this mean we can go back to camp?'  
'No, we have to finish mining these roads first. If we leave the roads unmined, the krauts could take the camp back and we’d all be shot.' Carter replied, his work detail getting back to their responsibilities so they could go back and celebrate their victory.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

That night a great celebration rang out from the camp as the prisoners raided the supplies the krauts had been holding onto. Passing around bottles of wine and champagne, they enjoyed the finer cuisine Klink had enjoyed and danced around the bonfires cracking on the parade ground. Right in the middle of the group, Emily hefted a bottle of fine schnapps and slung her arm around Hogan's shoulders, thoroughly enjoying the celebration and well on her way to being drunk.  
'We did it Hogan, we fuckin' did it. Stalag 13 is ours.' she crowed, raising her bottle in a toast to their success.  
'We owe it all to you Emily, luv. You gave us back the will to fight.' Newkirk grinned, taking the bottle from her hand and drinking deep before handing it back.  
'I can't take all the credit. I never would have survived without you guys.' Emily replied, releasing Hogan and pulling Newkirk into a lung sucking kiss.  
'Hey, where's Wolfgang gone?' Aloysius asked, looking around for the older man.  
'Yeah, he should be celebrating. He doesn't have to hide underground anymore.' Carter agreed, sitting on the ground and cradling a bottle of wine contentedly.

Sitting in the shadows behind Barracks Two, Hochstetter gazed at the pistol in his hands and sighed, debating what he should do. Hogan and his men were being so nice to him, despite the war and the horrors but he was still German and couldn't expect much in the way of mercy from anyone. Suicide was the coward's option but now, sitting in a liberated prison camp, he didn't feel particularly brave. His countrymen were suffering, the survivors of the battle crammed into the cooler. No one had been spared, even Klink was shivering in the cooler with his men. Then there was his secret shame to consider, the one thing that guaranteed he would be an outcast no matter where he went and it was getting harder to deny that side of his person. Hearing footsteps behind him, Wolfgang looked up and managed a faint smile as he was forced to crane his neck to gaze upon the face of the man behind him.  
'There you are Wolfgang, we were worried about you.' Rufus uttered, settling beside him and offering out the bottles he was holding. Looking at both bottles for a moment, Wolfgang accepted the schnapps, leaving Rufus with the champagne.  
'Why worry about me? When your friends come, I'll be bundled in with the other Germans.' Wolfgang shrugged, raising the bottle to his lips and drinking deep. 'My secret will be revealed and I'm dead.'  
'Such negative thinking. You're one of us, Emily's promised to take care of you and that's good enough for me, Wolfgang.' Rufus soothed, wishing he knew the secret so he could offer a different perspective.  
'But how can you be so confident Rufus? I am a German, a kraut and worse yet, a Gestapo officer.'  
'You were a Gestapo officer, now you're just another man hurt by this war.'  
'Another man with a terrible secret. Once your people discover the truth, I won't be treated so fairly.'  
'You're so hung up on this secret, you're missing the big picture. I've got a big secret too but be damned if I'm going to let that stop me enjoying my life to the full. It's not easy but one secret shouldn't stop you living your life.'  
'Rufus, if this particular secret gets out…it's unnatural and wrong, I'm an abomination.'  
'Whoa, calm down Wolfgang. Abomination is a harsh word, you can't mean that. Talk to me Wolfgang, you can trust me with your secret. I won't tell a soul, I'll keep it as tightly guarded as my own secrets.'  
'I can't Rufus, it's too risky. One word and that's it. I want to trust but…'  
'It's okay to be afraid Wolfgang, that's perfectly normal.' Rufus uttered, shivering as a chill wind blew past them then he realised that somewhere along the way Wolfgang had removed his jacket and now sat in just shirtsleeves. 'Aren't you cold?'  
'Ja, but the schnapps is helping. I can't remember where I left my jacket in all the chaos.' Wolfgang nodded, chugging back another mouthful and hunching against the cold.  
'Then isn't it good you've got a handy windbreak. Here, you lean against me and I'll keep you warm.' Rufus grinned, shifting around to Wolfgang's other side and draping one arm around his shoulders. Releasing his tightly held control, Wolfgang shuffled closer and sighed, gratefully accepting the warmth Rufus was giving.  
'Thank you Rufus.'  
'Come back to the party Wolfgang, even if it's just to sit and watch the fun. Someone will only come looking for us if we stay here.'  
'Ja, I suppose you're right Rufus.'

Back at the bonfire, Emily laughed freely for the first time in years as she spun and whirled with Aloysius, two old enemies drawn together by a mutual conflict. Always aware of Newkirk's eyes on them, Aloysius tried to be respectful but after the amount he'd drunk that was getting to be difficult. Twirling out of his arms, Emily dragged Peter back to his feet and held him close, relishing their chance to finally show their love. Holding his beautiful woman close, Peter smiled and nuzzled her neck, overjoyed with his lady love as they danced slowly through the group.  
'Anyone object to Emily and Peter getting the best accommodation in camp?' Hogan asked, looking around the drunken group and shrugging when no one complained. 'Guess not. Looks like you guys have the kommandantur.'  
'Thanks Robert.' Emily grinned, settling on the ground and guiding Peter into her lap. 'Hey, look who's come back to the party.' she called, spotting Wolfgang and Rufus as they rejoined the contented and drunken group.  
'Bloody insanity, running around without a coat on. Here, rug up Wolfgang.' Aloysius sighed, shouldering out of his long jacket and wrapping it around Wolfgang's shoulders.  
'But, what about you Aloysius?'  
'Don't worry about me, my uniform is plenty warm enough.'  
'So what's the plan now Emily?' Carter asked, shuffling over to lean against Rufus' other side.  
'That all depends on when the allies arrive and whether or not I can get a plane. My home is calling, it's almost time to leave but I am not ready yet.' Emily sighed, pleasantly buzzing as she sat there with Peter.

Looking around the relaxed gathering, LeBeau had to smile as he watched the dogs settle down to rest among the prisoners, their gentle side coming out full strength as they found places and settled comfortably. Even Romus and Remus found places, Romus stretching out beside Emily as Remus curled around Wolfgang's side and rested his head on one knee.  
'Good boy.' Rufus uttered, reaching around Wolfgang to lightly stroke Remus' flank.  
'Oh, I almost forgot. Thank you Romus.' Emily uttered, unlacing the ring from his collar and handing it to Peter. Clearing the ring on his sleeve, Peter took Emily's hand and slid the ring into place, watching the light reflect off the emerald.  
'So if that's Romus over there, Remus is over here.' Rufus mused, indicating the dog curled against Wolfgang.  
'Yeah, that's my Remus. I'm surprised he's over there but it's good that he's making nice with other people.' Emily nodded, admiring the ring on her finger and smiling softly.  
'Hello Remus.' Wolfgang mused, lightly stroking the dog resting at his side.  
'Do you think it would be safe to bring Belinda up?' Carter asked, thinking of his dear little friend still in the tunnels.  
'Go ahead Carter, she deserves to enjoy her freedom as well.' Emily nodded, watching him rise and walk back towards the barracks.

Returning a few minutes later, Carter curled up against Rufus' side again, his dear Belinda cosy in his lap. She'd grown into a beautiful cat, long black and white fur shining with love and care. Dazzling green eyes peered out from her black face, the thin white stripe running along her nose and between her ears giving her the look of a butterfly. Pricked black ears tipped with white swivelled and tracked the noises around her but she wasn't worried. Kneading Carter's thighs for a few moments, she settled and curled up on his lap, white saddle marking turned to the group as the tucked her white tipped tail around white paws.  
'That's Belinda?' Wolfgang asked, eyeing the cat and smiling softly.  
'Yeah, this is Belinda. Emily rescued her when she was just a tiny kitten. We nursed her back to health and she's been here with us for almost as long as Emily, Aloysius and Rufus have been here.' Carter nodded, finishing his wine and stroking the cat lovingly.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Finding a new rhythm of the days, the men now in control of Stalag 13 got busy turning their prison camp into an easily defended position. Repairing the wire and filling in the mortar holes, removing the mines from the roads and setting up watch positions to look for more incoming Germans, they moved their organisation out of the tunnels and into unneeded buildings. They had decided to continue using the barracks for their own accommodations so a team was organised to repair the thin walls and leaking rooves as another group handed out spare blankets to everyone and a third group worked to replace the thin mattresses with better ones. The rec hall was converted into a new barracks and the Germans transferred into there after being thoroughly searched for anything contraband. No one felt good about locking Schultz up so he was allowed to roam the camp during the day but slept in the rec hall with the others at night. Klink had fared a little better, he got a private room in the corner of the rec hall and daily walks outside the rec hall but under close guard by Wolfgang and at least two of the friendly dogs in camp.

Standing on the veranda outside the kommandantur, Emily and Hogan looked at all they had achieved and smiled, proud of their efforts and glad to see everyone was pulling together again. LeBeau had volunteered to run the mess and found a few men to help him produce the best food he could for the team. He also provided something for the Germans, it wasn't as fancy or well made but they knew better than to complain. After all, they were getting the same treatment they'd handed down to their prisoners. Almost as an afterthought, they'd secured the tunnel entrance in the rec hall, locking their prisoners out of the system and blocking their escape. On top of the guards constantly patrolling outside the building, they'd also assigned a three-man team to patrol inside the rec hall, further blocking any escape attempts and keeping the Germans cowed.

Digging into her stockpiles of equipment, Emily provided all her team leaders with radio headsets so they could keep in touch with their HQ from the overwatch positions but also within the camp.  
"Overwatch 1 to HQ, come in HQ."  
'Go ahead Baker, what have you got?'  
"Got a big prize coming your way. Burkhalter just went past, heading for the camp."  
'Copy that Baker, we'll snag him.' Emily nodded, quite excited to have another big catch for their collection. 'Catch Team 4, front and centre!' she called, voice carrying to the men busy around the camp. Leaving their duties, the six men of Catch Team 4 ran to the kommandantur, rifles to hand and pistols secure on their hips.  
'Who do we have this time Emily?' Aloysius asked, loading his rifle quickly.  
'Burkhalter so let's make this quick and clean. Wolfgang, get Klink out of sight. Carter, Schultz needs to disappear too.'  
'You've got it Emily.' Carter nodded, rifle slung over his shoulder as he escorted Schultz out of sight.  
'Jawhol Emily.' Wolfgang replied, giving Klink a shove in the back to get him moving.  
'Alright, places everyone.' Emily smirked, grabbing her MP 40 and leading the group towards the gate.

Taking up their positions around the main gates, the Catch Team waited quietly for the six wheeled staff car to roll in before they sprang the trap. Surrounding the car quickly, they all took aim on the General as the gates closed and relocked to prevent escape.  
'Welcome General, we've been expecting you. Out of the car.' Emily barked, total fury in her eyes as Burkhalter climbed out and stood before her. 'Hands up!'  
'What is the meaning of this?' he demanded, raising his hands as three rifles poked him in warning.  
'Stalag 13 is no longer under Klink's control. It's ours now.' Emily replied, watching as the driver and guard were both hauled out as well. 'Take these three to the cooler. Let them share a cage for a while.'  
'You heard her, move!' Aloysius snarled, prodding Burkhalter again.  
'Olsen, go park this one with the rest.' Emily directed, indicating the car and stepping back as he jumped behind the wheel and drove it to join a line up of vehicles they'd captured.  
'Another perfect capture Emily, nice job.' Hogan praised, jogging over to her side again.  
'Nothing to it Robert, I've done more than a few hostage snatches like this. Granted, my targets are usually harder to snag and I normally work alone but this is working well.'  
'How many more officers do you think we'll capture?'  
'No idea. Word has to be spreading that Stalag 13 is a black hole. Officers come to visit but they never leave the place. But hey, we've got some big men for London to talk to.'  
'Yeah, we've done well here Emily.'  
'Any luck with London yet?' she asked, still wanting to know when the main allied assault would reach their location.  
'Nothing yet Emily, I'm still trying.'  
'Take a break Robert, we'll get reinforcements when we get them. Knowing the exact date isn't going to change anything.'  
'Maybe you should take your own advice Emily. You've done a great job stabilising the camp and reorganising the supplies we need. Go on, I can handle things for a while.'  
'Yeah, I guess I could use a break. Let me know if anything changes.' Emily agreed, wandering back into the kommandantur to share some time with Newkirk.

Adjusting his headset for comfort, Hogan started his rounds of the camp, relaxed and at peace as he wandered around and checked on how everyone was doing with their daily duties. This shake up from Emily had left them all a little off balance but the quickly found their feet again and got back to normal, relaxing into their responsibilities and enjoying their chance to stretch their legs a bit more.  
'Are we clear now?' Carter asked, wandering over to Hogan's side.  
'Yeah, we're clear. Burkhalter, his driver and guard are all in the cooler.'  
'Emily certainly sets her sights high.' Wolfgang remarked, allowing Klink to wander again. 'But that doesn't explain why she's keeping you alive.'  
'Wolfgang, every extra German on the list for Allied Command is worth it. Klink might not know much but that's not really important.' Hogan sighed, ignoring the glare Klink gave him. 'But don't worry, you're not on that list Wolfgang.'  
'Emily did say she'd look after me and make sure I'm not punished. After all, I helped liberate allies which has to count for something.'  
'How could you betray the fatherland?' Klink asked, looking back at Wolfgang.  
'The fatherland betrayed me first Klink. Now shut up, I am already tired of listening to you whine.'

Rolling his eyes as he walked away from the guarded, free krauts, Hogan headed for the mess hall, following a delightful smell wafting on the breeze. Entering the mess, he could hear LeBeau yelling at his assistants and smiled, wondering what delights were on offer for lunch today.  
'You sound busy LeBeau.'  
'Oui, mon Colonel. I can take no abuse for lunch. We are having a difference of opinion back here.'  
'It's 'ardly a difference of opinion, we just want something apart from French food.' a RAF man replied, walking over to join LeBeau at the servery.  
'LeBeau, surely cooking in the barracks has taught you a few things. Not everyone appreciates fine French food, as bad as that might sound to you. A few different options for lunch wouldn't hurt and it would stop a lot of the complaints about certain dishes.' Hogan tried, carefully choosing his words so he didn't offend anyone.  
'Oui, like my fish stew as Pierre calls it. I suppose I could allow this, but I take no responsibility for what they prepare.'  
'Let it happen LeBeau, if things go wrong we'll deal with it. After all this time, a little variety will be well appreciated. You cook what you want to cook, let them do their own dishes and we'll see what the guys have to say after lunch.'  
'All right. Get back to work, we will let the masses decide.' LeBeau agreed, wandering back to his pots and pans before he burned the sauce he was working on.  
'Anything in particular you'd like, Colonel?' a young Lieutenant asked, his bomber jacket hanging by the door.  
'Whatever you come up with Lieutenant, I'm not fussy.'


	27. Decision Time

Not sure what had woken her, Emily wriggled out of Peter's embrace and stood, quickly donning her dressing gown and slippers as she ran outside to see what was going on. Jaw dropping in disbelief, she could only stare as a pair of majestic aircraft glided down from high above, their engines roaring loud. Turning gracefully, they eased down and landed in the large field just over the rise from the camp. Racing back inside, she changed into her hunt clothes, wrote a quick message for Peter in case he awoke before she returned and ran for the front gates, Romus and Remus bounding along at her side.

Scrambling up the slope on the other side of the main road, they stopped and stared in wonder at the two towering planes, cargo doors open and waiting for whatever supplies Emily wanted to take back with her. Casting out her dogs, Emily ran towards the planes in amazement, eager to see who had flown these massive things through the rift and into her reach. Bolting up the ramp of the nearest plane, she searched for any of the flight crew but the plane was deserted. Instead she found a note attached to the pilot's chair, written in neat cursive.  
'Ignoring history dooms us to repeat the mistakes of the past.' she read, confusion only growing as she looked at the page. 'Just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?' she growled, leaving the first plane and jogging over to check the second one.

Much to her surprise there was already something in the cargo hold of the second plane. Unhooking the torch from her belt, she scanned the crated items securely locked down in the hold and tried to work out what was waiting for her. Then she found a booklet hanging from one of the crates and pulled it free, angling the light to catch the wording on the cover.  
'Avro Lancaster Mk I Heavy Bomber.' she uttered, gaze snapping back to the silent bomber ready for transport. Moving around to the front of the main wooden cradle, she looked up at the nose and then down at the booklet in her hands, realisation sinking in and a smile crossing her face as she accepted the gift given to her.

Checking the cockpit quickly, she found another note attached to the pilot's seat and shook her head in wonder, still not sure how any of this was happening but she knew better than to question the great gift she'd been blessed with.  
'Take this gift and share the word. Gather your friends and supplies and carry the word back to Chicago. Look inside the book, there is your first message.' scratching her head in confusion, Emily flicked through the book about her new plane and caught several photos that were tucked into the pages. Angling the photos into the light, she stared in wonder at the paintjob on her Lancaster. Instead of the dull military paintjob with roundel and ID letters, this Lancaster was decorated with flags and images of the camp. And on the nose, in place of risqué artwork was a simple white scroll bearing the words "Spirit of Stalag 13"

Bundling up the photos, book and notes into the plastic pouch the booklet had been in to start with, Emily wandered back past the bomber now in her care and reached up to touch the belly lightly, captivated by the majestic old girl. Wary of scratching the paint, she lowered her hand and left the cargo plane, hoping her Lancaster would be safe until she could convince those she wanted to rescue to come with her.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Gathering only the men she wanted to save in her living room, Emily was silent as they went over the documents she'd handed them for evaluation. Passing the documents around, the men talked quietly about what they could see and the implications of such a discovery.  
'What are these planes you're talking about Emily? I've never heard of anything like them.' Hogan asked, looking up from the photo in his hands and trying to understand.  
'Those are Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy bulk military freighters. First built in 1968, they are the ultimate power horses of the world when I come from. For example a Lancaster Bomber is capable of carrying 68,000 pounds of weight. A single Galaxy is capable of carrying 261,000 pounds of weight. So one Galaxy is capable of lifting approximately 6 Lancasters without strain.' Emily explained, watching as the guys ran their own figures and gawked in wonder.  
'I think its 7 Lancasters to reach max weight but I could be wrong.' Rufus added, the better man for crunching such large numbers.  
'Whatever the figures work out to be, you can see the strength of these freighters.'  
'But 'ow did they get 'ere? You said that you didn't see anyone around them and your dogs couldn't pick up a trace either.' Newkirk asked, still trying to wrap his mind around that little detail.  
'Peter, I still don't know how the hell I got here. I didn't question that, I just got stuck in and kept busy. I'm not questioning how those planes got here either but I know they can't stay for long.'  
'What's the plan Emily?' Aloysius nodded, reading the notes again and scratching his head.  
'Well, the Lancaster is already loaded and ready to go. I'd like to load up some other stuff from the camp and get out of here before too many people notice those two massive planes sitting over there. I'm not worried about flying one single handed, I've done that before but I'm a little uncertain about the second one. I know you're a talented pilot Rufus; we've tangled enough times for me to be confident in your talents. But flying a Galaxy single handed is a challenge very few have the talent for.'  
'What do you suggest we do then?' Rufus sighed, wary about getting behind the controls of such a massive plane without someone to help him if he got into trouble.  
'Well…I'd like to take all of you with me when we take off. As the second message said: gather my friends and supplies and carry the word back to Chicago. I can't do that alone, I need help and you are just the men I know I can count on. I don't want your answer right away, we can afford to wait until everything is loaded onto the planes and ready for transport.'  
'What were you thinking of taking?' Carter asked, already thinking of Belinda.  
'I've prepared a rough list but basically, anything and everything. The Lancaster is already loaded so we don't have to worry about that. A couple of staff cars would be nice; we've got a good selection to choose from. Maybe a truck or two as well. I'd like at least one motorbike, remove the sidecar and it'll fit better. Uniforms we've made, forged papers, maps, weaponry, even a few pieces of the camp itself. If you've got any suggestions on things you'd like to bring along, let me know in the next couple of days.' Emily shrugged, pulling out her pocket notebook and jotting down a few thoughts.  
'Belinda?'  
'If you're coming, she's more than welcome to fly with us.'  
'What about the other dogs Emily?'  
'I don't know LeBeau; we'll have to discuss that in detail.'

Left reeling by the offer, the six men that had gotten to know Emily, Aloysius and Rufus, swapped stunned looks as they worked on what she'd given them.  
'But what about my family?' Carter asked, thoughts drifting back home.  
'That's what you have to consider Andrew. I won't influence your decisions, each of you must find the answer that suits you personally.' Emily replied, ruffling his hair affectionately.  
'I do not need to consider it Emily. I have no one left here and I do not feel I have repaid my life debt.' Wolfgang nodded, getting to his feet and turning to the younger woman. 'I'm willing to take the chance on Chicago.'  
'Thank you Wolfgang. I had a feeling you'd want to stay on. There's a lot of work to be done, if you're ready.'  
'Lead the way Emily but what needs to be done first?'  
'First, we have to pull your car out of the tunnels. We'll crate it up and ship it to Chicago in pieces. Once we get there we'll have a proper mechanical workshop to rebuild your car to pristine condition. I'll find you a change of clothes, we're going to get filthy doing this job.' Emily shrugged, leaving the rest of the team to consider their options as they headed to start fishing the deconstructed car out of the tunnels for transport.

Leaning forward and scrubbing both hands over his face, Peter knew he had some serious thinking to do before he could face Emily again. On one hand he had the woman of his dreams, someone who really made him happy. On the other, his sister Mavis, a young woman depending on her brother to come home. She had no one else in the world, their father had run off when he was just a young boy and Mavis a baby in their mother's arms. Then, during his time in Stalag 13, he'd received a letter from Mavis telling him of the loss of their mother in a bombing raid. Emily had been there for him that day, holding him tight and offering words of comfort and support as the stoic façade he always maintained shattered in the peace of the tunnels. But Mavis had no one else, she was alone in the world unless she'd gotten married without telling him. No, that didn't sound like something Mavis would do, she would have written and told him about it before going out and getting married. How could any man choose between two ladies who both needed him so much?

Lost in his own thoughts, Louis considered all his dreams for after the war and wondered if any of them would fit in with whatever Emily was planning to do with the stockpiles of equipment she was gathering up for transport home. He didn't have anyone waiting for him in Paris, his wife had been killed not long after he'd been captured, yet another horror to hate the krauts for. But then, Emily had seen the cruelty of the Gestapo and still found in in her heart to forgive Wolfgang so maybe there was a lesson to be learned there. Hanging his head sadly, he considered all his friends and family, most of them having given their lives for France while he sat in a prison camp in relative safety. Could he really ignore their sacrifice for his own selfish wants?

Slumping at the dining table, Andrew let his mind drift back to his family and Mary Jane, the woman he'd cared about until she ran off with another man. Emily had given him back his smile after he'd received that letter, picking him up and getting him back on track. Rufus had been great at that time too, coaxing him into games and keeping him occupied until the hurt eased and he could really focus on what they were doing. Rufus was the main point of consideration, he'd been so good from the first day. They were close and Rufus treated him more like a brother than anyone else in camp. They talked about a lot of different subjects, from maths and science to girls and their families back home. Was he ready to say goodbye to the closest thing he had to a real brother?

Gazing out the nearest window, Robert sighed and indulged in an internal debate, weighing family and the knowledge he had of the aftermath of this war against Emily and the peaceful future she offered. Keeping the secrets she'd told him would be hard, he was already having trouble not slipping up but once he got back to his family, the challenge would only get harder. Then there was Aloysius, the man who risked his life daily to protect the men in Stalag 13 without any thought of the risks. It was refreshing to have such a man around, someone who knew how to run a successful mission and usually kept his team-mates out of trouble. Aloysius was a man to depend on, a trusted friend and a wise leader in his own right. What reasons did he have to lose such a brilliant friend and confidant?

Staring with unseeing eyes at the far wall, Richard didn't understand why he'd been included in the offer of a new life teaching people about his role in the war. He'd always felt like an outsider around those three, only since the liberation did he understand why he felt off balance around the trio. Chewing his lip nervously, he thought about his own family and what it would be like to never see them again if he chose to take off with a woman he barely knew. Blinking quickly to refocus his gaze, he looked around at his team-mates, the people he knew and trusted to watch his back. Did he have the courage to step into a new life with a group of people he didn't know that well?

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Wandering into the wardrobe storeroom to grab Wolfgang another clean shirt, Emily was quite surprised to see Peter busily packing all his hard work into crates pilfered from who knew where. Whistling merrily as he worked, he listed each uniform before folding it neatly and packing it away, totally focused on his task.  
'I take it you've come to a decision.' Emily mused, leaning past him to grab a clean khaki shirt.  
'Wasn't easy but yeah. I'm staying with you Emily, me sister will survive. This won't be easy on her but I'd give up anythin' to stay with you, luv.' Peter nodded, folding up another Gestapo jacket and tucking it into the crate.  
'Thank you Peter, I was dreading your decision. I'm not sure I could say goodbye either.' Emily nodded, looking around at all the uniforms still to be packed. 'Are you hoping to take all of this stuff?'  
'That's me goal but if we 'ave to leave some behind, I understand. We put a lot of work into all this, it should be saved.'  
'It will be Peter, I promise you. We can load these crates into the other vehicles we're taking and all kinds of other places on those transports out there.'  
'Thanks Emily. Can you give me a 'and with the packing though, there's more 'ere than I thought.'  
'Sure, just let me get this shirt to Wolfgang. He got absolutely filthy while working to crate up his car for transport. I'll have a quick wash too, I'm not exactly clean either.' Emily chuckled, brushing a kiss across his cheek before leaving the storeroom.

Satisfied with his choice, Peter lifted a Luftwaffe General's jacket from its hanger and chuckled, remembering the last time Carter had worn this very uniform to make an idiot of Wolfgang. Marking it down on his list, he carefully folded it and placed it in a second open crate, this one already half full of other Luftwaffe uniform jackets. Tucking it in neatly, he paused for a smoke break, still a little overwhelmed by the number of uniforms needed to be packed up and carried to the truck waiting outside.  
'Are we taking the civilian stuff as well?' Emily asked, shocking him out of his thoughts.  
'I'd like to but there's a lot of other stuff on your wish list, right?' Peter nodded, considering the second storeroom of civilian clothes.  
'522,000 pounds of weight, I think we can squeeze in all the clothes sewn over the course of the operation here.'  
'I still can't believe the weight limits on those planes. The numbers are insane.'  
'I know but when hauling military equipment it's necessary.'

Crushing out his cigarette and flicking the butt towards the pile near the door, Peter picked up the next jacket on the rack and added it to the list before tucking it away safely. Starting another list, Emily started out the waiting trousers, easily understanding Peter's packing method and getting stuck into the workload. Writing down the measurements for the first pair and the branch of service they belonged with, she folded them in half and settled them in the appropriate crate.  
"Emily, got a radio call for you." Baker radioed, his voice ringing clear through the headset.  
'Put it through Baker.'  
"You've got it Emily." The line crackled for a few moments before another voice came through, this one achingly familiar.  
"Emily, is that you?"  
'James? What are you doing radioing the camp?'  
"Baker asked London to get in touch with me, something about a big mission. I only just got home from work so I thought I'd call."  
'Yeah, we are planning a big mission but I totally understand if you don't want to come back for it. You're settled back in Detroit, you should stay.'  
"What's the mission Emily? I might be convinced to come back."  
'We're packing up all we can from the camp, loading it into a couple of cargo planes and heading back to my time. I'm giving everyone time to think about it before we leave, no one is obliged to make this trip. Peter's coming with us but I don't know about anyone else yet.'  
"When are you planning on leaving?"  
'Haven't decided yet. It depends on how long it takes to get all the stuff we want loaded onto the planes. There's a lot of stuff to pack, transport and load.'  
"Don't leave without me, I'll start my trip back tomorrow."  
'Think about it James, no one's pushing you to go.'  
"Emily, I've got a dead end job, no respect and nothing to my name. I'd be a fool to turn down the chance of a better life."  
'All right, if you're absolutely sure. If you parachute in, feel free to use Stalag 13 as your landing zone, the krauts aren't in control anymore. We liberated the camp from the inside a couple months ago.'  
"I'll be there as soon as I can Emily, don't leave me behind."  
'We'll wait for you James, I promise.'  
"How are the guys?"  
'They're doing great, everyone's looking healthy and even put on a little weight.'  
"Sounds like you're taking great care of everyone Emily. I'll get in touch with London immediately."  
'Okay James, we'll see you when you get here.'  
"Bye Emily and tell the guys I'm coming back, will you?"  
'Of course I will James. We'll see you in a few days hopefully.'  
"Count on it Emily."

Pulling out the notebook always kept in her top pocket, Emily flipped to another of her many lists and quickly scratched another name onto the list of confirmed travellers, unable to wipe the smile off her face at the thought of seeing Kinch again. Shoving the notebook back into her pocket, she went back to listing clothes and packing.  
'Good news from Kinch, I take it?'  
'He's going to come back for the trip. Richard's cool but I've known James longer so it's a definite boost to me confidence that he's coming along on this one way trip.'  
'That's great Emily, I've really missed Kinch. 'E was a guy you could always rely on, no matter the situation.'  
'Yeah, he's a great guy. I'll wait to spread the news though, I don't want his return to force any decisions from the rest of the team.'  
'A wise choice Emily.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Four days later, work stopped at the camp as a small transport plane swept overhead and released two parachutes. Watching the parachutes descend, the team loading crates into the trucks started to recognise details but no one believe their eyes until the new arrival touched down and rolled to a controlled stop. The second parachute landed close by, draping neatly over the supply crate it was attached to. Untangling his lines, he sat up and removed his helmet before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a familiar cap.  
'Hey guys, I'm back.' he grinned, removing his harness and jogging over to his friends.  
'Kinch, you're really back. I didn't believe it when Emily told me you were returning.' LeBeau beamed, looking up at his old friend.  
'Are you kidding? I wasn't about to let you guys leave me behind. Thanks for the call Baker, I'd hate to miss this chance.' Kinch chuckled, hugging each of his friends in turn before drawing Emily into his arms and holding her close. 'Thank you most of all Emily.'  
'Your timing is perfect Kinch. We're about ready to take to the skies with our cargo. Adding you to the list we've got ten crewmen for the two planes.' Emily grinned, planting a kiss on his cheek before withdrawing.  
'Ten? Who else did you invite along?' Kinch asked, picking up a crate Emily pointed out and carrying to the waiting trucks.  
'You wouldn't believe me if I told you Kinch. Wolfgang, you remember Kinch, don't you?' Emily smirked, handing her crate up to Wolfgang to put where it belonged.  
'Ah yes, James Kinchloe, I remember you.'  
'Major Hochstetter.' Kinch jumped a good three feet up and rearwards when he spotted the Major in the truck.  
'Please, Wolfgang will do. I'm not with the Gestapo anymore, now I'm just another man looking for a fresh start.'  
'It's alright Kinch, he's been living in camp since before the liberation and even helped us take the camp.' Hogan soothed, hefting another crate into the truck.  
'We're loading this too Kinch?' Carter asked, indicating the crate that had landed with him.  
'Yeah, that's got all my personal belongings in it.'  
'It'll have to be broken down to fit but we'll make it work.' Emily grinned, collecting several empty crates from around the area and setting them around the drop crate.  
'You've got it Emily.' Kinch nodded, jogging over and opening the large supply crate then starting to sort everything into the smaller crates around his feet.  
'The rest of you, over to the barracks to load the weapons caches still waiting there.'  
'I'll stay and help Kinch load his gear onto this truck.' Carter offered, so glad to have his old friend back.  
'Okay Carter, that'll work. Don't take too long Kinch, I want to get out of here in the next 24 hours.'  
'Got it Emily.'

Grabbing a small tin of black paint from where it had been left before Kinch's arrival, Carter knelt and neatly painted J.K. on each crate that Kinch was using for his gear.  
'So what else has changed since I left? It's going to take some time to get used to seeing Hochstetter on a daily basis.'  
'Wolfgang's really a nice guy, once you get to know him. He's been getting stuck in with the rest of the team, getting busy and winding up covered in muck and grease just like the rest of us.'  
'He's still a kraut and he's caused us quite a few headaches over the years I was here.'  
'That's true but the moment he was in trouble, he turned to us for help. He started out just friends with Emily, well Andrew, but then he started to open up and make friends with the rest of the gang. You don't have to worry about him, give him time and he'll accept you as freely as everyone else.'  
'Why's he running from the Gestapo anyway?'  
'No idea Kinch, he's got some secret that no one else knows. I think Emily knows but she's not saying anything either.'  
'I still can't believe you guys liberated this camp, I miss out on all the fun.'  
'It wasn't easy to do Kinch, we lost fifteen men during the attack. Emily left nothing to chance, putting a defence team out in the woods and sending a smaller team out with me to mine the roads. I don't know what happened in camp, but when I got back, the guards were in the cooler and we had control of Stalag 13.'

Shaking his head in wonder, Kinch dug out the last of his gear and packed it away in the smaller crates before starting to carry them to the waiting truck and pack them inside neatly. Climbing into the truck, Carter moved the crates around to fit, cramming them in tight and making sure they didn't miss anything on the list Emily had set up for them.  
'What do you know about this mission Andrew?'  
'We're going to Chicago on a one way trip. There's no coming back from this one Kinch, we're going back through the rift or whatever it was that dropped Emily, Aloysius and Rufus here in the first place. Apart from that, all I know is that we're loading the planes with all kinds of stuff from the tunnels and the camp itself and taking it with us to spread the word of what we endured here.'  
'I'm not worried about the one way trip, it'll be nice to get away from the derision I get back in the States. I do wonder about what the world Emily knows is like.'  
'From what she's told us, it's pretty good. Wars are still going on but they're not as big as this one. There's still some racial tension but it's nowhere near as bad as now.'  
'Well that's a bonus.'  
'She's not saying much else though, she wants to keep it a secret until we arrive.'  
'I can live with that.'

Stacking the last crate safely among the others, Carter jumped down and swung the tailgate back up just as three trucks pulled away from different buildings and headed for the gates.  
'You ready to go guys?' Emily called, hanging off the side of truck two in the convoy.  
'Lead on Emily.' Kinch replied, swinging in behind the wheel and waiting for Carter to jump up before joining the convoy.  
'Alright Aloysius, move out.' Emily nodded, switching her grip and holding on as the trucks rumbled out of camp. The road they took was well worn, looping around the slope opposite the main gates and coming up a gentle rise to the airfield.   
'Holy cats. What are those things?'  
'Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy bulk military freighters. The ultimate of heavy haulage in Emily's time.'  
'Those things are huge.'  
'Just wait until you see all the gear inside.'  
'I'm not sure I'm ready to see what those massive things are capable of holding. Just seeing them sitting there and I'm in awe Andrew.'  
'They are impressive and we're flying them back to Chicago. Five men to a plane, it's just a matter of finishing the loading and we're ready to fly.'  
'It that enough to man one of these monsters?'  
'Seven would be better but Emily's confident in the abilities of five men per plane. She's doing most of the hard work, we're just there to keep an eye on things in flight and help out where we can.'

Jumping off the side of the truck, Emily watched from the relative safety of the rear cargo ramps as the four trucks were turned and parked in a row behind the planes.  
'All right, let's get this gear loaded up and ready for transport so we can make our final checks and prepare for takeoff. All the crates on these trucks are going in the upper, rear passenger compartments. We'll start on plane two so Kinch's truck first.' she called, dropping the tailgate and grabbing the first crate, heading for the ladder leading into the upper passenger area.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Returning to the waiting planes on foot, kit bags slung over their shoulders, the group gathered between the two mighty planes to sort out the crews and go over the final briefing for the flight.  
'So you're taking off first Emily, I stay in formation off your right wing.' Rufus nodded, slipping his helmet on and buckling it securely.  
'We'll probably be out of radio contact until we're both through the rift so once you see me vanish, don't hesitate for too long or you might lose us on the other side.' Emily warned, snugging down her own flight helmet. 'Now, who wants to fly where?'  
'I'm staying with Rufus, he's always been my preferred pilot.' Aloysius replied, moving closer to his old friend.  
'I'm flying second seat with Rufus, he asked first.' Hogan shrugged, also moving to Rufus' side.  
'You don't get rid of me that easily Emily.' Peter grinned, draping one arm around Emily's waist.  
'I'll fly with you Emily.' LeBeau agreed, joining Emily's flight crew.  
'I'm coming with you Rufus.' Carter added, sidling up beside Rufus.  
'You've been there for me for a while now Emily, it's only fair to continue as such.' Wolfgang chuckled, coming around behind Emily.  
'You fly with Emily, I'll go with Rufus.' Baker suggested, turning to Kinch.  
'All right, that's fair. We'll see you on the other side.' Kinch accepted, moving to Emily's side as Baker joined Rufus.  
'How will we know if we've made it?' Carter asked, looking up to Rufus for answers.  
'Well, at the moment most of the instruments in the cockpits aren't functioning. Once we get back to where we want to be, the cockpit should light up. We'll hear a lot of chatter on the radio and we'll be able to recognise certain landmarks.' Rufus replied, glad to see Carter was thinking ahead.  
'Then we're about ready to fly. Rom! Rem! Load 'em up!' Emily called, leading the group around the tail of her Galaxy so they could see the dogs Emily had chosen bounding up the ladder and vanishing inside.  
'You are taking them. Merci Emily, merci.' LeBeau grinned, watching the dogs patiently waiting their turns before heading inside.  
'I told you I would if we could squeeze them in once everything else was loaded. We had space and weight to spare so in they go. Speaking of which, have you got Belinda with you, Andrew?' Emily nodded, turning back to Andrew.  
'Yes Emily, she's right here safe and sound.' Andrew nodded, unzipping his jacket a little and smiling as Belinda poked her head out the opening, looking around for a moment before shifting and vanishing inside again.  
'Just be careful you don't hurt her when you're strapping in for the flight.'  
'I'll be careful Emily, don't worry.'  
'Alright, everyone to your places. Let's get out of here.' Emily nodded, leading her group around and into their plane as Rufus got his team moving out of the way.

Those left in the camp all turned to look as a mighty rumble filled the air. The noise grew louder and louder before a massive aircraft emerged from behind the trees and angled into the sky, the great bulk of metal circling the camp as it gained altitude. With another great roar, a second plane took off from the same area, circling and rising to catch the first and take up a position to the right of the first. Circling the camp again, they seemed to be searching for something but whatever that something was, no one else could see anything above, just two planes that they'd never seen before. Changing direction, the lead plane shot right across the camp then suddenly disappeared, much to everyone's shock. Then the second plane came around and followed, blinking out of sight as silence fell over the camp again.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Forcing down her nausea, Emily held on desperately as the Galaxy shook and shuddered around her, buffeted by an unseen force on all sides. Risking a glance across the silent and dark cockpit, she saw Peter slumped unconscious in his seat, unable to handle the fierce shaking of the plane. Gritting her teeth and doing her best to hold the old girl steady, Emily knew she had to stay conscious and keep the plane level unless they intended to crash immediately upon exiting this disturbance. Groaning with the strain, Emily went through her G-force resistance practises and prayed they'd clear the problem soon. Instincts kicking in, she pulled back on the controls to lift the nose, she wasn't sure what possessed her to do such a thing, it just felt like the right thing to do. Forcing her eyes to stay locked on the forward windows, she ignored her vertigo and levelled off again, hoping it was enough but in the total darkness she was working in made it hard to know where she was.

Suddenly she faced the complete reversal of her situation. All the instruments came to life, flickering and whirling until they got matched up with the conditions outside. Half blinded by the sudden bright light, Emily could do nothing but continue flying straight and level until her vision cleared. Snapping her visor down, she eased back on the controls and lifted her nose before pushing the throttles up to make sure she cleared the area for Rufus. Receiving loud warnings of an impending disaster, she swore and forced her nose down again, adjusting the throttles again to dive under a soaring 747. Clearing the danger, she eased back to her original height and entered a holding pattern around the area, waiting patiently for Rufus to arrive.  
'What the 'ell just 'appened?' Peter groaned, lifting his head and looking around.  
'We made it through Peter, we just cleared the rift and I've received confirmation of our arrival in 2007.' Emily grinned, reaching over to squeeze his hand.  
'Are you both all right up here?' Wolfgang asked, poking his head into the cockpit.  
'A little dazed and panicked but we're okay Wolfgang. We had a successful transfer back to my timeline.' Emily nodded, engaging the autopilot and looking back over her shoulder. 'Wolfgang, you're bleeding.'  
'I don't remember that happening.' Wolfgang mused, one hand pressed to the gash on his forehead.  
'Peter, head back and check on the others. Keep an eye on LeBeau too, you know how he is.'  
'I'm on it Emily.' Peter nodded, unbuckling his harness and heading back to the passenger section to check on the crew.  
'And check on the dogs too, they're probably scared.'  
'Louis is with them, James suggested it before I came up here to check on you.' Wolfgang replied, accepting the handkerchief Peter was holding and pressing it to his forehead.  
'Good, that'll keep him distracted. I've got to go check the cargo, make sure nothing shifted. What's James doing at the moment?' Emily sighed, checking the autopilot before climbing from her seat.  
'Are you crazy Emily? Someone 'as to fly this thing.' Peter yelped, horrified that she'd leave the plane uncontrolled.  
'Calm down Peter, this plane has a sophisticated autopilot system. Now, what's James doing at the moment?'  
'What do you need me to be doing Emily?' James asked, coming up behind Wolfgang.  
'Check the rear passenger compartment. Check the cargo and make sure nothing's come fly too badly.' Emily directed, squeezing past Peter and grabbing a waiting air tank and mask hanging by the door leading to the cargo hold.

Moving quickly through the hold, Emily checked the straps were secure and that nothing had moved. Hanging her air tank from her belt, she tightened up the straps and chains restraining their precious Lancaster pieces. Thankfully none of the items down here had shifted, meaning this priceless relic from seventy years ago was still in immaculate condition. Checking the rest of their supplies just as thoroughly and finding no issues, she headed back up into the more comfortable environment on the upper deck.  
'All the dogs are okay Emily, a little shaken but no one is harmed.'  
'The cargo is unmoved too, the belts held firm.'  
'Few minor cuts and bruises, nothing serious to worry about.'  
'And the lower cargo is all still secure. Spirit of Stalag 13 is unharmed and still looking beautiful in her cradles.' Emily nodded, satisfied with the reports as she resecured her air tank and returned to the cockpit. Buckling into her seat, she turned the plane again and smiled when she saw the second Galaxy emerge from the rift.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Spotting Emily's plane waiting for them to catch up, Rufus grinned and angled his plane to get back on her right wingtip, still feeling a little off balance after their journey through the rift.  
'McKenzie to Hunter, do you copy Hunter?'  
"Go ahead Rufus, good to hear your voice."  
'Talk about a rough trip. I don't think I've ever had to face a challenge like that before.'  
"I know what you mean, it was almost too much for me to handle as well. How's the cargo?"  
'Aloysius, Andrew and Richard are checking it out right now. How'd you come through?'  
"A little shaken, a few cuts and bruises but cargo unmoved. Spirit of Stalag 13 is still in perfect condition."  
'I was worried about how that beautiful old lady would handle the transit.'  
'Cargo hold still secure, we had some minor slips but no collisions.' Aloysius reported, crouching in the cockpit doorway.  
'Upper cargo, mostly secure. We had a couple of creates break open.' Richard added, leaning over Aloysius.  
'Cargo reports are in Emily. Cargo hold secure, minor slips but no collisions. Upper cargo mostly secure, two crates broke open.'  
"Crate contents?"  
'I'll check. Richard, crate contents?'  
'Maps and other documents.'  
'Maps and other camp documents.'  
"Secure them somehow and we'll deal with them properly when we land."  
'Copy that Emily. Where to now?'  
"Depends on fuel levels."  
'I'm still at three quarter full.'  
"Then we head straight for Chicago. Let me know when your tanks get down to quarter full."  
'Wilco Emily.'  
"You missed one hell of an entrance earlier. Almost T-boned a ruddy 747."  
'That would have been messy and probably minimal survivors too.'  
"Yeah, had to dive to clear it but we passed without incident. I'm a little surprised no one was badly hurt, there was no time to call a warning before I reacted."  
'They were probably still unconscious. Limp bodies absorb damage better.'  
"Good point. Hey, how's Belinda holding up?"  
'Haven't seen Andrew yet but I'll get Richard to check on them both.'  
'On it Rufus.'

Making his way back to the forward crew compartment, Richard smiled when he saw Andrew sitting on the floor, Belinda sitting up in his lap and playing with his dogtags.  
'How are you two holding up?' he asked, crouching beside Andrew.  
'We're okay, a little shaken but unharmed.'  
'Emily will be glad to hear that, she just asked about you two.' Richard nodded, standing and heading back to the cockpit. 'Andrew and Belinda are both in good shape, she's playing with his dogtags.'  
'Both unharmed by the shaking Emily. Belinda's playing with Andrew's dogtags at the moment.'  
"Excellent. Then everything is going to plan. Let's head for Chicago."  
'I've got your wing Emily.'


	28. Finally Home

Kitbags slung over their shoulders, the group filed into the impressive three storey house Emily called her own and settled in the living room as Emily grabbed a round of beers from the fridge, popped the caps off and handed them around before squeezing onto the couch between Peter and Wolfgang.  
'To a successful mission.' Rufus offered, lifting his bottle high.  
'A successful mission.' the group replied, drinking deep and relaxing.  
'Let me be the first to officially welcome you guys to your new life. Out here we'll have plenty of space to stretch out, do our own things and set up a special place for all the stuff we carried with us from Stalag 13.' Emily grinned, watching Belinda as she wormed out of Andrew's jacket and jumped to the floor. 'Of course, you'll want a drink and a feed too Belinda.' she chuckled, getting up and fixing a welcoming dish for the sweet cat.  
'So what's the plan now Emily?' Robert asked, sipping his beer and relaxing.  
'How about we just relax, take a shower, get changed and chill out for a while. There's no rush now, I've got some ideas about the gear we brought back with us but I'm not feeling up to dealing with that just yet.' Emily sighed, stroking Belinda just once before returning to the couch and getting comfortable.  
'But I don't have a clean uniform and getting at the uniform crates is nearly impossible.' Wolfgang worried, turning to look at Emily properly.  
'Relax Wolfgang; you don't need a clean uniform. Uniforms are old school, now that you're all out of the armed services its civilian clothes of the new era for everyone. Don't worry, I'll be there to offer guidance and make sure what you pick suits your personalities.'  
'Oh god, shopping with a woman. I remember what Mel was like when she had a chance.' Aloysius groaned, looking around the group slowly. 'You have my sympathy guys.'  
'Hey, I'm not that kind of woman. Wait here guys, I'll be right back.' Emily sighed, putting her beer down again and heading upstairs.  
'What did you mean by that Aloysius?' Richard asked, turning to regard the taller man slumped in one of the armchairs.  
'Woman can spend hours shopping and as for getting dressed in the mornings, don't be in a hurry. They take forever, primping and messing about then doing it all again a few hours later because what they were wearing that morning didn't suit a casual lunch with their friends.' Aloysius explained, remembering how his wife had fussed.

Pounding back down the stairs a few minutes later, Emily was a totally different woman. Gone were her tight black hunt clothes, replaced with a relaxed fit pair of blue jeans and a dirty white singlet. Her feet were bare, short hair held back with a bandana and a heavy looking chain clipped around her left wrist. She was still sporting Peter's ring on her right hand, the emerald sparkling and glittering in the lights. Her battered old tags hung around her neck, the thin plates clicking as she settled on the couch and put her bare feet up on the table.  
'You were saying Aloysius?' she asked, going back to her beer contentedly.  
'I eat my words Emily. You're one of the women that dresses like a man, whatever's on top of the pile will do.'  
'Exactly. This is the standard of civilian clothes at the moment; a lot's changed from what you remember. Singlets aren't regarded as underwear anymore, men and women wear them in public without concern. Jeans are the go now, suits are reserved for business wear and swimwear is quite short and revealing for both men and women.'  
'Oh god Emily, please no budgie smugglers.' Rufus groaned, not really wanting to see that bad image.  
'I wasn't dreaming of that Rufus, ugh. Board shorts will be fine. There are certain things I don't want to see at all or see again, depending on the situation.' Emily gagged, looking around the group and shuddering.  
'Budgie smugglers? What the 'ell is that all about?' Peter asked, tripped up on the term.  
'They're a kind of swimwear for men, very brief and rather revealing. Basically, they cover only the ass and package, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination.' Aloysius explained, figuring he should get in on bringing the guys up to speed on their new situation.  
'There's obviously a lot we've got to learn, so much has changed.' Robert mused, draining his beer and setting the empty bottle back on the table.  
'I'll show you guys to my personal library, you'll find plenty of books there to help you start catching up on the last sixty odd years. I'd do it personally but someone's got to organise rooms for everyone.' Emily suggested, rocking to her feet and leading the group upstairs.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Sitting down for dinner that night, the guys were surprised by the spread on offer in front of them all. So many different things, some recognisable, others unfamiliar but everything smelled so good.  
'Talk about a spread Emily.' Aloysius remarked, hooking a chair and trying to decide where to start.  
'After prison rations and even what LeBeau was preparing, I was hankering something familiar. I just couldn't decide what slice of familiarity I wanted so I figured I'd get a variety for us to enjoy.' Emily shrugged, hanging around beers and plates before sitting.  
'Variety is fine but you know what I'd like right now…good ol' fish and chips.' Peter remarked, reaching out to take a slice of pizza.  
'I thought I had everything.' Emily muttered, getting up and wandering around to check the kitchen bench. 'I knew I ordered that too.' she grinned, grabbing the last plate off the bench and carrying it over to the table.  
'Now that's more like it.' Peter nodded, hooking into the pizza as Richard passed another bowl of chips over to Andrew.  
'Hey Emily, what's this dish?' James asked, eyeing off a bowl of dark looking meat.  
'Beef in black bean sauce, a classic at Chinese restaurants. It's good, give it a shot.' Emily replied, tearing into the garlic bread and passing the plate along.  
'I don't know what this is but it's good, really good.' Wolfgang added, enjoying the mix of food on the table but his attention was firmly caught by a tangy poultry dish.  
'Lemon chicken, a personal favourite of mine. I can make it from scratch but I didn't feel like cooking tonight.' Emily shrugged, her watchful eyes drifting over her family as they sampled the various foods on offer.

Suddenly Robert shot to his feet and scrambled out the door onto the patio. Hustling towards the grass, he hit the ground and threw up, back arching as he retched violently.  
'What was I thinking…prison rations to modern takeaway. Fuckin' idiot.' Emily growled, realising what was going on. 'Everyone stop. I made a mistake, this is the wrong diet after everything we've gone through.' she warned, ducking back as Louis shot outside.  
'Watch over the guys, we'll find something more suitable.' Aloysius offered, standing and starting to clear away the plates. 'I saw where your fridge and freezer were.'  
'Thanks Aloysius.' Emily nodded, ushering the guys outside and offering them comfort and support as one by one they were taken to their knees by the rich food.

Digging through the freezer, Aloysius tried not to get distracted by the sounds from outside as he searched out something suitable to feed the gentle stomachs freshly transferred into this timeline.  
'Hey Rufus, see if you can find a large pot. Something like a big soup pot.' he called, finding several marked containers of beef and vegetable soup.  
'I'll see what I can find.' Rufus replied, starting to go through the cupboards for something to suit their needs.  
'These look like single serve meals. Either way, it won't hurt to have extra defrosted.' Aloysius mused, hoisting out ten beef and vegetable containers and stacking them on the basket.  
'Hey, will this do the job?' Rufus grinned, fishing out Emily's obviously well loved soup pot.  
'Just perfect. Get it on the heat and we'll start these defrosting.' Aloysius nodded, gathering up his spoils and heading back into the kitchen proper.

Quickly depositing the soup blocks into the pot, Aloysius kept an eye on the soup so Rufus could head outside to help Emily with the rest of the team. Humming softly to pass the time, he adjusted the heat and left the soup to defrost as he went searching for bowls to serve the light meal.  
'Did you find anything Aloysius?' Emily asked, poking her head in through the sliding door.  
'Beef and vegetable soup, should be light enough.'   
'I'd forgotten I had that left. Reckon there's enough there?'  
'Yeah, more than enough I think. We'll see how they go. I'm just looking for enough bowls.'  
'Try the cupboards by the pantry, I keep my better stuff in there.'  
'Thanks Emily.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Nausea defeated and stomachs full, the team settled in the living room to unwind and relax before bed. The dogs were settled in the main hanger, spread out wherever it was most comfortable for them. Running in from the kitchen, Belinda bounced up onto Andrew's lap and curled up happily, tail draped over her nose.  
'Alright, I know you've all been curious about my plans for the piles of equipment we carried though the rift. I've had some time to really think about what we're going to do and I think I've come up with a solution. Three different projects, each one helping to carry the story further.' Emily explained, three folders sitting on the coffee table.  
'Isn't that taking on a bit much Emily? We've only just arrived here.' James sighed, settling back into the comfortable cushions at his back, sipping his coffee contentedly.  
'There no rush to get started James, now is a time to talk about the plans. If we all agree it's doable, I'll start making preparations. I'll have to talk to a lot of people to get the go ahead for any of it but we'll get there.'  
'Start with the easiest plan, we'll build up.' Robert suggested, looking around at his men and the trio that would lead them into the future.  
'Plan 3 revolves around our Lancaster, Spirit of Stalag 13. I propose we take her to air shows around America and the world, taking with us a small static display of various artefacts from the camp and show people the life we lived. A few uniforms, maybe a bunk, documents and most importantly, stories we were told by our grandfathers.'  
'Grandfathers? But we were there.' Andrew shrugged, not sure he understood why Emily had said grandfathers.  
'No one will believe we were actually there but they will believe our grandfathers were. I'll deal with setting up the documentation for your new lives tomorrow, I'm too tired to focus on that today.'  
'Emily, I see one problem with this plan. That Lancaster requires different fuel, it won't run on what we can get now.' Rufus added, only thinking of the care of such a grand old lady.  
'Easy fixed. I'll get in touch with the company manufacturing the fuel for my fleet of old F-105 Thunderchief's and tell them what I need. They specialise in creating the right fuel mixes for all kinds of older aircraft, supplying enthusiasts all over the world with the perfect blend for their particular aircraft.'  
'We'll need a fuel tanker then, the range of a Lancaster is a lot shorter than anything nowadays.'  
'There are now three C-5's on this property. I'll make contact with a retrofitting company I know of and have one turned into a tanker.'  
'Not every airfield can handle a C-5.'  
'So we pick the ones that can.'  
'You've really thought this through, 'aven't you Emily?' Peter asked, ending the debate between the two most experienced modern pilots.  
'I never go into anything this big without giving it a lot of thought. I've also got plans to have a second C-5 turned into an aerial hotel, the best accommodation money can buy.'  
'Just thinking contingencies, what happens if Spirit of Stalag 13 is damaged and can't be flown home?' Aloysius asked, bringing a chilling sense of reason to the conversation.  
'Then we make use of another trick I'll get the retrofitters to work into the accommodation plane. Disassembling the internal bulkheads and removing them, we can load the Lancaster into the hold and transport it home. It's a lot to squeeze into the limited space once the equipment required for disassembly is taken into account but I've no doubt we can make it happen.'

Quietly considering the idea, the group started nodding slowly, interested in the idea and warming to the plan cautiously. They weren't sure how it would all fit together but if Emily was confident in the plan, they would back her up.  
'Okay, so if that's the easiest plan, what else are you thinking of doing Emily?' Robert asked, eager to hear more of Emily's grand scheme to spread the word.  
'The other two plans will be started right here on this very property. We'll split the area in front of the house in two, dedicating each side to a particular plan. To one side we'll build a museum, charging a small admission fee so people can walk through what we've got. That's where the bunkhouse we carefully disassembled come in, we'll rebuild it as part of the museum, strengthen the bunks a little and let people see what we went through. Most of the supplies we brought with us will go there, rotated occasionally to keep things interesting for the visitors. When we're not getting ready for an air show, Spirit of Stalag 13 will form part of the museum, we'll simply tow it out the back fence when we need it for a show.'  
'Hang on, how can we run the air show flights and a museum at the same time?' Wolfgang asked, convinced so few couldn't do both jobs and do them well.  
'The museum only be open Monday to Friday, air shows usually run weekends. If things cross and we need to leave earlier, we'll put up notices so no one is caught unawares. We'll also make it clear on a noticeboard out the front that there will be times when the museum is closed due to air show duties.'  
'Very clever little idea there Emily. But what's the other side dedicated to?' Louis nodded, interested in just what Emily would make the museum out to be like.  
'On the other side we build something totally unique for school groups and anyone else interested. The Stalag Experience welcomes groups to spend a weekend living as POW's in a German camp, living the life of the average prisoner. No tunnelling, no escaping, just the dull monotony of prison life. The cold showers, roll calls, prison rations, armed guards and vicious dogs. We'll give them an unforgettable experience. We'll pick the prisoners up at their school, process them in, give them ID papers and uniforms and make sure they aren't carrying any contraband into the camp. Monday morning, an allied liberation party appears at the gates, led by some American officer and behind him comes the parents of the children in camp to take them home.'  
'That actually sounds really exciting Emily. We could teach them how we passed the time.' Andrew grinned, brightening up at the idea.  
'We could Andrew, but then who would guard the prisoners? We'll have to hire on some extra staff but the camp will be our responsibility. We'll be playing the German roles. The duties of Kommandant, Sergeant of the Guard and Gestapo officer will be randomly picked each time, sharing out the roles so everyone gets a turn.'  
'Why do we need a Gestapo officer? They weren't a huge part of life in Stalag 13.' James asked, confused again.  
'That's for the homesick kiddies. A Gestapo officer picks them up to take them to Berlin but really, he's there to take them home. At the end of their stay with us, each child gets to keep their uniform, ID papers and a folder of facts, documents and photos relating to their time in the camp and the actual Stalag 13.'

Absolutely stunned by Emily's grand plans, no one knew what to say in response to such ideas. They were all interested but fulfilling all three plans and getting the balance right would take some doing to get right. Puzzling the balance over, Louis yawned wide and stretched as much as he could, getting close to falling asleep where he was.  
'Get some sleep my friends, tomorrow we can discuss the plans in more depth.' Emily grinned, leaving the folders where they were as the team got to their feet and slowly followed Emily upstairs. 'You will have to share temporarily, until I get the top storey cleared out and you can spread out a bit more.'  
'After so long living together, we can handle sharing rooms for a while Emily.' Robert shrugged, rubbing tired eyes as he came off the stairs and looked around.  
'Right. James and Robert, you're in that room. Louis and Richard, you've got the room opposite. Rufus and Aloysius, that room up there. Andrew and Wolfgang, this room here. Peter, our room is up the end. Bathrooms are here and here.' Emily nodded, pointing out the various doors on both sides of the corridor.

Pausing in the doorway to her own room, Emily listened to the guys settling into their rooms before turning and closing the door behind her, smiling softly as Peter worked out of his borrowed tee-shirt.  
'I just have one thing to say before bed Peter.'  
'What's that Emily?'  
'I do not want to see that ruddy nightshirt again. It was fine for Stalag 13 but not in my house. If you really want sleepwear, I put out a loose pair of pants for you to wear.'  
'What's wrong with me nightshirt?'  
'It's hardly conductive to a fun night between the sheets, right?' Emily chuckled, tossing her half dirty clothes in a pile on a chair in the corner before pulling on a loose pair of pants and a singlet.  
'No, I guess not.' Peter grinned, changing into the loose pants waiting on the foot of the bed and crawling into bed. Switching out the main lights, Emily climbed in beside him and cuddled close before reaching out to turn off the lamp.  
'Good night Peter, sweet dreams.'  
'Sleep well Emily, I love you.'  
'Love you too babe.'

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

When the guys trooped downstairs for breakfast the next morning, most of them got a shock when they found crisp new wallets waiting for them on the table. Finding his in the pile, Louis flicked through it, eyes widening as he took in the number of cards with his name and other details on them. Thumbing the money pocket open, he got another shock and had to pull out the bills and count them twice just to be certain of the figure.  
'Emily's been busy this morning. She's done complete workups for everyone, creating a perfect modern identity for all of us. I tried accessing my own accounts earlier but the bank seems to think I'm dead. Emily promised to look into my financial situation later.' Aloysius explained, looking up from where he was busily preparing breakfast.  
'Three thousand dollars in spending money? I have never even held such an amount.'  
'Pocket change for Emily when you consider her wealth. Millions of dollars in accounts around the worlds and millions more tied up in cars, planes and property.'  
'Where is Emily now?'  
'Outside feeding the animals and checking on our cargo. She'll be in shortly. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.'  
'Should I wake the others?'  
'Nah, let them sleep. It'll only take a few minutes to make breakfast for everyone as they emerge. You didn't have to get up so early either, there's no rush anymore.'

Drawn by the smells of breakfast, the rest of the team stumbled down stairs in various states of dress, no one fully awake but the first steps were being taken. Chuckling softly, Aloysius served up breakfast and handed around plates, not really surprised to see the guys up and about at exactly the same time as Schultz would come in for roll call.  
'Okay, we've got some habits to break.' he grinned, turning to look as Emily wandered inside again.  
'Dogs are all fed, talk about feeding time at the zoo. Going to have to teach them a little more patience while the food is being organised.' she remarked, scooping up the last bowl of porridge on the bench and joining the family.  
'You found some kind of bowl for them?'  
'Yeah, rigged up a long trough. It's crude but effective, I'll work on a better one later.'  
'You never seem to stop working Emily. You've always got at least a couple of plans or jobs on the go, right?' Wolfgang mused, enjoying the filling and warming breakfast.  
'If I'm not busy, I go a little crazy. But right now, I'm a little over extended. I've still got your new profiles to solidify and backstop, our cover built and stabilised, planning permission for the museum and camp, the dogs will have to go to the vet and so will Belinda, you're all due for medical appointments, Spirit of Stalag 13 has to be put back together and test flown to make sure she came through unharmed, the upper storey of the house needs clearing out, and I've got to sort out Aloysius' financial trouble. So yeah, if you don't see a lot of me for a while, I'm working on the mother of all To-Do Lists.' Emily sighed, switching her spoon to her left hand and opening a small laptop beside her bowl. Bringing up a collection of documents, she got back to the tasks at hand, reinforcing the altered identities for her friends.  
'Is there anything we can do to help Emily?' Rufus asked, just as stunned as everyone else by the extensive list of work Emily had on her books and all of it fairly important.  
'Not right now. Once all the various appointments are made, you can help with chauffeur duties. Apart from that, I got us into this mess, I'll dig us out.'   
'Isn't there even a few small jobs to be done?'  
'well sure, this place needs some maintenance, the underground fleets will all need to be started and run for a little while to clear the engines and the garden needs a lot of care. I did have a vegetable patch out the back but it's so overgrown with weeds now that I can't find anything.'  
'I'll take care of the garden Emily, just show me where it is. I'll make it the most amazing vegetable garden you've ever seen.' Louis offered, eyes lighting up at his chance.  
'You know I can be trusted with fighters and choppers Emily, I'll take care of them for you.' Rufus added, interested to see what sort of toys Emily had.  
'I'd be happy to give your cars a run Emily. I can only assume you've got a closed track here somewhere for just that purpose.' Aloysius grinned, confident he'd buried the hatchet with Emily.  
'Some of my cars yes but there are certain beauties in my collection that no one else touches. I have classics but I also have some of the world's rarest cars. There is no way I am going to trust you with my priceless 2000 Diablo VT Roadster Millennium or any of my other highly maintained sleek beauties. I know your record on sports cars, you can't keep them intact. I'll lend you the keys to my rough-housers, even you can't hurt those monsters.'  
'A fair compromise Emily. That's taken some weight off your shoulders, right?' Aloysius agreed, getting up to grab the coffee pot and refill the mugs on the table.  
'A little, I'll give you that.'

Unhooking a PDA from her belt, Emily passed it to Rufus and gave him some time to read over the list of basic jobs that needed to be done and accept the hugeness of the situation.  
'Reckon you can get on top of that list while I work on keeping everyone secure?' she asked, picking up her refilled coffee mug. 'Thanks Aloysius, I need the caffeine hit.'  
'Yeah, I can handle this lot. I'll need help from everyone else but we'll get it done.' Rufus nodded, looking around the table slowly.  
'Thanks Rufus. I'll be in my office if you need me for anything. Third floor, black door at the end of the hall.' Emily sighed, finishing her breakfast and gathering up her laptop before heading upstairs.


	29. Plans Into Action

A year after arriving in Chicago and everything was taking shape nicely. Word had spread far and wide about the projects on the go, the website where the team apparently met was attracting more attention every day and they had seven air shows booked within flight range of Spirit of Stalag 13 and two that would require their tanker to make the distance. They had so much support from the local people; everyone was interested in getting behind the place and making the camp a world renowned museum dedicated to so many people. As a nod to all those people, a memorial path was built through the museum, encouraging people to buy pavers to commemorate their families who so proudly served in the war. Hundreds of pavers already snaked through the museum with hundreds more being made and shipped to the museum for placement over the next few months.

Today marked another special achievement for the team, their first influx of school students into the camp experience. A junior history class were due to be picked up in an hour, transported to the park and processed in for an eye opening weekend.  
'Okay, so we have a class of forty-eight eighth graders coming in for a very special weekend. 23 girls and 25 boys, along with six adults, three males and three females. Everyone put your names in the bowl; let's see who gets where now.' Emily announced, holding up a metal bowl and waiting as everyone scrawled their names on slips of paper and tossed them in.  
'Did you organise the extra female staff required?' Hogan asked, returning to his seat.  
'Nine female police officers will be here in twenty minutes to take up their posts in the eastern compound. Peter, we're going to need uniforms for them all, what's in stock will do. None of them have a lot in the way of breasts.'  
'I'll 'andle it Emily.' Peter nodded, flicking his wad of paper into the bowl.  
'Here we go guys. First name out gets to be Kommandant for a weekend…Aloysius.' Emily declared, smoothing out the first scrap.  
'This should be interesting.' Aloysius grinned, finding his very own Kommandant's uniform on the rack and heading to get changed.  
'Next up, Sergeant of the Guard…Wolfgang.'  
'I'm not sure I can be as stupid as Schultz but I'll try.' Wolfgang shrugged, grabbing his uniform and disappearing to change.  
'And finally, Gestapo officer…James.'  
'No one is gonna buy that but what the hell, this doesn't have to be perfect.' James chuckled, seeking out his black uniform and walking away to get ready.  
'Everyone go get dressed, standard guards. We'll sort out drivers and that once we're ready to go.' Emily directed, snagging her uniform and ducking into one of the change rooms.

Emerging one-by-one, the team gathered up their weapons and filed out of the guard's barracks just as two SUV's drove up the bitumen road between the museum and the camp.  
'That'll be our other guards. Peter, you're in charge of getting them ready for duty. Here are their ID papers, the uniforms are all named.' Emily guided, handing over the handful of documents.  
'I've got it covered.' he nodded, removing the rubber band from around the documents and shoving it in his pants pocket.  
'Alright, let's just go over the false names one last time. As a cheat, the names are embroidered inside the right sleeves of your tunic, a little hint if you ever need it.' Emily nodded, lifting the cuff of her sleeve to show the name written there in white thread.  
'Kommandant Josef Eicke.'  
'Sergeant of the Guard Wolfgang Jordan.'  
'Franz Christopherson, Gestapo.'  
'Oskar Vandieken.' Carter recited, surprising everyone when he didn't need to double check his sleeve.  
'Jakob Theissig.' LeBeau nodded, needing a quick glance to remember the surname.  
'Karl Finke.' Newkirk grinned, a little worried about the surname but he'd deal with it.  
'Dieter Haemel.' Baker offered, adjusting his rifle on his shoulder.  
'Wilhelm Jentzsch.' Hogan added, wincing at memories of Klink.  
'Werner Bolm.' Rufus replied, a little tall for a kraut but they weren't trying to be perfect.  
'And I'm Heinrich Jordan, Wolfgang's little brother. I know that's unusual but we'll make it work.' Emily chuckled, her hair once again cut to a more masculine shape to help sell the story. 'Okay, here's the pickup plan. Werner, you'll drive the second bus. Jentzsch will go with you as a secondary guard, patrolling the walkway on the bus. Vandieken, you'll come with me in the first bus, you're my guard. Finke, get the girls into uniform and go over their names then have them join the processing stations. Christopherson, you know your role, go get your car and take your position. We don't want the kids getting a good look at you just yet. Theissig and Haemel, get the uniform duffels into place, don't worry about separate piles for boys and girls, everyone gets the same uniforms. Hand each kid a duffle and get them moving, I don't want to hear any bargaining. We are tough German soldiers, give them that impression from the start.' Emily briefed, shouldering her rifle and adjusting her helmet quickly. 'Oh, and Christopherson, kindly open the gates to put the dogs into the runs, make sure these kids know what they're getting into.'  
'Jawhol Herr Jordan.' he replied, heading for the side exit of the camp to take up his position.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Everything was ready when the buses pulled up just outside the camp, depositing the students in a holding zone outside the camp proper.   
'Girls, you will file through gates 4, 5 and 6. Boys, you will file through gates 1, 2 and 3. You will each be handed a green bag. Inside this bag you will find a uniform, enter the change rooms and get your uniforms on then proceed to processing.' Heinrich instructed, watching the proceedings carefully as the students started filing through. 'Once you are in uniform, you will place your clothes and school bag in your duffel and hand it to the guards waiting on the other side of the change rooms. They will hand you a blue kitbag, hold onto that bag until you are assigned your bunk.'

Surprisingly the children were calm now that they knew what was going on. Filing through in threes, they accepted their uniforms and entered the small grey cubicles, emerging from the other side in a range of uniforms and ranks. Handing over the green bags to the waiting guards, the students watched as the bags were piled on two trucks before they were ushered forward to the processing stations. Here they were searched, had their phones and watches confiscated and placed in two metal boxes sitting between the processing stations. The guards seated behind the tables asked for their names and dates of birth then handed over their ID papers. Moving beyond the processing tables, the students were split into the two different compounds, girls in the eastern compound, and boys in the western compound. Waiting quietly on the parade grounds, the students already processed in watched the procedure repeating over and over until everyone was standing around in uniforms, ID papers secure in their pockets.

Closing and locking the gates into the processing area, Dieter and Wilhelm picked up the metal boxes and headed for the Kommandant's office, the group leader, now dressed in a RAF Corporal's uniform, following along behind. Double stepping to catch up, Wolfgang knocked on the door and waited for permission before opening the door.  
'Kommandant Eicke, the prisoners are all processed in and are awaiting your welcoming speech.'  
'Very well Sergeant. Put the boxes of possessions in the safe and see that they are secured properly.' Josef replied, rising from his chair and walking over to retrieve his coat.  
'Jawhol Herr Kommandant.' Wolfgang nodded, opening the waiting safe and standing guard as the locked boxes were slid inside. Closing the door, he spun the lock and nodded before stepping aside. 'Major Richmond, I believe you will find these belongings safe here. Feel free to check the security of the safe.'  
'Thank you Sergeant.' he replied, walking over and testing the safe door was locked properly. 'I see no reason to doubt these belongings are secure for the duration of our stay.'  
'Very well Major. Now, out.' Wolfgang nodded, escorting the taller man back outside.

Walking out onto a platform that faced both parade grounds, Josef looked out across the waiting prisoners and smiled faintly at all the eager faces looking back at him.  
'Prisoners, welcome to Stalag 13, the toughest POW camp in all of Germany. No one has ever escaped from my camp. While you are with us, you will face the same discomfort as the brave men who fought in the Second World War and were captured. You will eat similar rations, sleep in similar bunks and endure the same daily monotony. There will be four roll calls every day, more if we believe there is someone trying to escape. Any breaking of the rules will be punished by time in the cooler, a place no one will enjoy. My advise to you all is simple, follow the rules, stay in camp and we'll all get along just fine.' he declared, the guards moving forward a little so the children could all see them. 'If you have any trouble, speak to one of the guards and they will escort you to see me personally, I will do what I can to assist you without crossing the line of enemies. Dismissed!' he finished, turning and heading back into his office.

Drawing the attention of the male prisoners, Wolfgang did a quick headcount and worked out the figures on the barracks before approaching the neat lines of young boys.  
'I want you four in the front line and the four behind you to take one step to the left. You five and the four behind you, one step to the right. The eight in the middle, stay right where you are.' he instructed, watching to make sure there was no shuffling in the lines. 'These are your barracks assignments, they will not be changed for any reasons. Lieutenant Johnson, you will take this group and go to Barracks 1. Captain Oliver, this group will go with you to Barracks 2. Major Richmond, you have this group in Barracks 3.' he continued, watching the teachers escort their group into their barracks.  
'Are there any specific bunks?' Richmond asked, flicking his long black ponytail over his shoulder.  
'Only for you Major. The junior prisoners may pick whichever bunk they want but you have somewhat more private accommodations, through that door there.' Wolfgang nodded, indicating the small room in the corner of the barracks.  
'Thank you Sergeant.'  
'But there's no privacy here. I can't get changed with everyone watching me.' one of the boys complained, looking rather handsome in his little Free French uniform.  
'What reason is there to change? Just as in the real camps, you will sleep in your uniforms. You have ten minutes to settle in and then outside for exercise.' Wolfgang shrugged, turning and leaving the barracks.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Hunched over his desk, Josef was busy filling out paperwork when someone knocked on his door. Shuffling around his paperwork so nothing secretive was on show, he called permission for whoever was waiting to come inside. Swinging the door open, Bolm entered with a tearful little boy dressed in an American Sergeant's uniform.  
'This is Tobias Jackson, Herr Kommandant. This is the first time he's been away from home and he's missing his parents badly.' Bolm explained, guiding the boy over to take a seat at the desk.  
'I see.' Aloysius nodded, coming around to crouch beside the boy. 'Tobias, would you like to go home?'  
'I don't want to miss out on this.' Tobias sniffled, wiping his eyes and looking up at Josef.  
'Hmm, I know what we can do. You just sit there while I make a phone call.' Josef soothed, handing him a tissue before digging through the files on his desk. 'That will be all Bolm.'  
'Jawhol, Herr Kommandant.'

Dialling one of the listed phone numbers, Josef waited patiently for Tobias' mother to pick up the phone and say hello before handing the phone to the tearful young boy.  
'Mom, I miss you.'  
'…'  
'I'm trying to be brave.'  
'…'  
'You mean that mom?'  
'…'  
'Okay, I'll try and stick it out.'  
'…'  
'Thanks mom. I love you.'  
'…'  
'Okay mom. Kommandant, mom wants to talk to you.'  
'Thank you Tobias. Just wait there and I'll see you back outside.' Josef grinned, accepting the phone. 'Kommandant Josef Eicke speaking.'  
'…'  
'Of course Frau Jackson, I understand.'  
'…'  
'Ja, I will ask Heinrich to keep a special eye on Tobias, he's my best guard.'  
'…'  
'If your son is certain he wishes to leave, I will have someone take him straight home.'  
'…'  
'Guten tag Frau Jackson.'

Hanging up the phone, Josef once again checked the open file on his desk and reached into the top drawer of his desk, handing Tobias a chocolate frog once he was sure the young boy was allowed such a treat.  
'Thank you Sir.' Tobias grinned through his tears, accepting the treat and settling back to savour it.  
'Don't you worry Tobias, we'll take care of you. If you decide that you really want to go home, you tell one of the guards. It doesn't matter how late it is, tell one of the guards and they'll tell me immediately. We'll get you home to the loving arms of your parents.'  
'I will Sir.'  
'Good boy. Ready to go back to your friends?'  
'Yes, Sir.'  
'All right then. Which barracks are you in?'  
'Barracks 2.'  
'Barracks two are doing basket weaving at the moment, come with me and we'll get you back with your fellow prisoners.' picking up his cap and shouldering into his jacket, Josef escorted the young boy back into the compound proper and over to where his barracks-mates were sitting making simple little baskets.

Watching over Tobias for a few minutes, he walked over to where Heinrich was standing guard, half his attention on the group working with clay to make whatever came to mind.  
'There is a young boy in barracks two that I want you to keep a close eye on. He might very well be our first Gestapo interest. Tobias Jackson, an American Sergeant.'  
'I'll keep an eye on him Kommandant.'  
'Very good Heinrich. That will be all.' Josef nodded, turning and heading back to his office again.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

It wasn't Tobias that was the first student to ask to go home, but rather a pretty little blonde haired girl wearing a RAF uniform. Sobbing quietly in the Kommandant's office, Betty Wilson had her bag and school clothes all packed up neatly by her feet and her phone in her pocket as she waited for the car to take her home. Pulling up outside the Kommandantur, Gestapo officer Franz Christopherson hustled up the stairs and into the office.  
'Kommandant Eicke, you called regarding a transfer.' he stated, looking down at the tearful little girl.  
'I did Herr Christopherson. This is Betty Wilson, I'm placing her in your hands.'  
'Very well. Come along Betty, let's get you out of here.' Franz nodded, waiting for Betty to pick up her bag before guiding her from the room with a gentle hand.  
'Oh, see that she gets this as well.' Josef added, holding out a beige folder.  
'Most certainly Kommandant.' Franz replied, tucking the folder under his arm as he left the building.

Checking that Betty was securely buckled in, Franz handed her the folder and closed the door, glancing around at the other prisoners as he walked around and swung in behind the wheel. Starting the engine and peeling out of camp, he kept one eye on his young charge and smiled faintly as they drove down the track and onto the road back to Chicago proper.  
'Don't cry Betty, you'll be home soon. I've got your address right here, your parents are waiting for you.' Franz soothed, aware that many other motorists were staring at his old car.  
'Thank you, Sir.'  
'You can call me Franz, okay?'  
'Okay Franz.'  
'Did you have a good time while you were at the camp?'  
'I did but it was hard when I missed my parents so much. Did the prisoners of the Second World War really live like that?'  
'No Betty, we had to make some allowances to be allowed to open the camp. The real barracks were very unpleasant. The rooves leaked and the walls didn't stop the wind properly. The mattresses were a lot thinner and the blankets threadbare.'  
'But the rest of it was real?'  
'As close to real as we could make it while still being safe for children.'  
'The food was really bad, I didn't like it much.'  
'The prisoners back during WWII had even less to eat and it was of even worse quality than what you got to eat.'  
'I don't think I could have survived in a real POW camp.'  
'You wouldn't have had to Betty. Back then, woman stayed at home, only men went to war.'  
'Times really have changed, Franz. My big sister is in Afghanistan at the moment.'  
'I'll bet you're really proud of your sister, aren't you?'  
'Uh-ha. She's my hero, she calls us when she can and we get letters from her every two weeks. I love my sister, she's helping a lot of people make their country better.'  
'My grandfather was a hero too. He fought in the Second World War, flying big bombers from England to Germany. I work at the camp to honour his memory, he spent three years in a real POW camp.'  
'Wow, that's really interesting Franz. Do you fly bombers?'  
'No, I'm working towards getting my license to fly though. One day I'll soar with the birds, high above the earth just like my grandfather. I just know he's watching over me from heaven, smiling proudly at all I've done in his memory.'

Turning into suburban streets, Franz checked the address for the Wilson family and pulled up in the drive, silencing the old engine before climbing out and opening the rear door for Betty. Sliding out and neatening her uniform, she shouldered her bag and picked up the beige folder with her name on it and followed Franz to the door. One hand resting on Betty's back, Franz adjusted his cap before reaching out to press the doorbell. Smiling down at Betty, he adjusted her collar and straightened her cap just as the door opened.  
'Frau Wilson, I am Franz Christopherson of the Gestapo. Here is your daughter, safe and sound.'  
'Thank you Franz. Go upstairs and get changed Betty, I'm sure Franz is anxious to get back to camp.'  
'Betty is welcome to keep her uniform, as a reminder of her time with us. She also has a folder of information about the Second World War, the POW camps and a photo of her class all in uniform with the guards.'  
'That is very generous of you Franz. Thank you again for bringing out daughter home.'  
'Not at all Frau Wilson, I'm just doing my duty. Guten tag.' Franz replied, turning sharply and returning to his car. Standing beside her mother, Betty waved goodbye happily before heading inside to regale her parents with stories of her time at camp.

~!~#~&^&~#~!~

Getting through the rest of the weekend without anymore Gestapo interference, the team were relaxed and calm, going about their usual duties until something more unusual pulled up outside the main gates. Engine roaring, the old American tank calmly pushed through the wooden gates and stopped in the middle of the compound. Throwing down their weapons, the guards obligingly knelt and raised their hands, those up in the towers climbing down and hurrying to join the group kneeling in front of the tank. Opening the hatch in the turret, a lone man climbed out and aimed his pistol at the camp Kommandant, a fond smile on his face as he looked out over the prisoners starting to gather around the tank.  
'I am Sergeant Travis Richards and I am here to liberate this camp!' he declared, standing tall atop his tank, crisp uniform standing out against his tanned skin and blonde hair. 'this camp is now in American hands.' he continued, four more men climbing out of the tank and moving to surround the guards as the parents stormed through the gates to collect their excited and happy children.

Swapping happy looks, the guards watched as the children were gathered up by their parents and herded to the convoy of waiting cars. Laughing and looking back at the guards, the children were already talking about their experiences and showing their parents the photos of their group in full uniform. Standing outside the camp, Franz handed back the waiting school bags and personal possessions, smile widening as the children thanked him as they collected their belongings and left, still sharing their experiences with their parents and guardians.

Finally the last car pulled away, leaving an empty, silent camp and a bit of a clean up before getting back to work. Getting to their feet, the team brushed off their uniforms and loosened their heavy jackets.  
'Nicely done Travis, the entrance was perfect.' Emily praised, dropping her German accent and fishing her sunglasses out of her pocket.  
'Sorry we're a little late, ol' Michelle didn't want to get going this morning.' Travis replied, leaning back against the old Sherman tank.  
'It's alright Travis, you got there in the end.' Emily grinned, removing a bundle of envelopes from her pocket. 'As agreed.'  
'Same time next Monday?'  
'No, weekend after. We'll have an older group so you can ramp it up a little more next time.'  
'We'll work it out Emily.' Travis nodded, climbing back into his tank with his team and rumbling away.

Turning to the nine borrowed Chicago PD officers that had offered their services to make their first weekend a success, Emily was all too willing to hand around the pay checks so well deserved.  
'You did well ladies. It takes a special kind of person to handle the challenges of working in a camp like his but you all performed magnificently for your first weekend on the job. We look forward to seeing you all again weekend after next.' she grinned, watching as the women turned and headed back towards their guard's barracks to change and get ready for work. 'Now, how has first shift in the museum today?' she asked, turning back to the team still behind her.  
'I'm on the front desk.' Louis replied, loosening his collar and tie quickly.  
'I've got to check over The Spirit to make sure she's ready for next weekend's air show.' Rufus added, already planning out his checklist.  
'I'm on internal patrol with Andrew.' Wolfgang nodded, stripping down to his shirt and wiping the sweat from his face.  
'Alright, get to it guys. Switch to summer uniforms and take your places. Rufus, keep me informed of any work The Spirit needs to be flight ready. Aloysius and Robert, prep the tanker for a mid range flight. Peter, take James and Richard and go over the accommodation plane, write up the supply lists for the apartments, living area and store cupboards. Louis can write up the catering lists when he comes off shift at the museum. If anyone wants me, I'll be in the office.' Emily instructed, turning and heading back towards the guard barracks to change.

Watching Emily walk away, the rest of the team closed ranks and quietly worried about her individually before following her towards the barracks where their uniforms for daily duties were stored.  
'She always seems to be in the office these days.' Richard remarked, shaking his head slowly.  
'She's the only one that really knows what these businesses cost to run. We might all have a bit of an idea but she's the one who looks at the true costs every day.' Aloysius shrugged, draping his fur collared jacket over his shoulder.  
'I wish there was something we could do to ease the burden on her shoulders. Emily's been so great to us but we really haven't done anything to repay her kindness.' Wolfgang sighed, trying to come up with some way to get Emily away from the camp for a few days at the very least.  
'I've already tried Wolfgang. Tried all me tricks to pull 'er away for even a few hours but she wasn't 'aving any of it.' Peter replied, kicking at a larger stone in the gravel.  
'I might have an idea.' Andrew grinned, glancing at Bismarck as she ran for the exit from the dog run around the camp.  
'Well go on Andrew, don't keep us in suspense.' Robert nodded, encouraging the youngest member of the team to speak.  
'On this property, we have 23 German Shepard's of fairly pure bloodlines. She's never explored the idea of breeding our dogs with any others in the state. I noticed this in yesterday's paper, it might be an opportunity to get Emily out of the camp for a while.' Andrew suggested, pulling out a neat clipping about a local dog show where breeders could show off.  
'Go on Andrew, Emily's got a soft spot for you. Ask if she'll take you and a few dogs, suggest it as a way to make some extra money.' Aloysius coaxed, liking the idea but it would add a little extra strain to everyone if it took off.  
'Okay, I will.' Andrew replied, breaking into a jog so he could change and catch up with Emily.


End file.
